CBFD release – At roughly 9:15 p.m. Sunday evening the Coos Bay Fire Department received a report of a house fire at 409 9th Avenue in the Eastside District. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the attic space, and the fire was extinguished by 10 pm. An investigation found a faulty light fixture to be the cause of the fire. The homeowner was able to turn off the power before the Fire Department arrived. There was moderate fire damage to the roof structure and some smoke and water damage to the living area of the home. The Fire Department was again called to the home around 4:20 a.m. this morning. An ember from the initial fire had likely been smoldering in a piece of the cedar siding. The secondary fire was contained to an area of the siding near the gable of the roof. While this type of secondary fire is extremely rare, it is an example of the sometimes-unpredictable nature of fire behavior. During this season of the year, it is common to have additional loads on household electrical systems from holiday lights to portable heaters. This additional load can stress an electrical circuit, creating heat and potentially a fire. The Fire Department would like to remind you to be careful not to overload circuits and never use damaged cords.
