Fire destroys an Orcas Island home

On a stormy Friday night, on Feb. 3, with winds gusting to around 50 miles an hour, the Orcas Island Fire Department was dispatched to fight a house fire at 26 Matia View Drive, off the north end of Terrill Beach Road in Eastsound. Unfortunately, by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, just eight minutes after receiving a call, the flames had fully engulfed the home, which was a total loss.

It was not occupied when the fire broke out, but a woman sleeping in a cabin adjacent to the house reported hearing a loud explosion, then ran out, where she found the structure on fire. She then called 911.

Eastsound Engine 21 and the medic unit were the first to arrive on the scene, according to Captain George Dimich, a member of the crew that was on duty at the Eastsound Fire Station. A second alarm was called at nine minutes after midnight. Rescue 21, Rosario Engine 23 and both the Westside and Eastside water then responded.

Not only did firefighters find the single story wood structure fully involved, they also had to prevent the fire from spreading to the cabin, as well as nearby homes and vehicles. "The wind was a challenge," Dimich said. "It wasn't sustained in one direction. We had to fight it from different directions."

“At one point, 30-foot flames were shooting sideways from the front, driven by the wind” added Captain Mark VanMaren.

Nevertheless, firefighters were able to save the cabin, vehicles, and nearby homes. One firefighter was treated for minor smoke inhalation and another for a knee injury.

Cause of the fire has not been determined and is currently under investigation, according to San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming.

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