Man comes home to find Sudden Valley house on fire

Nov. 24--SUDDEN VALLEY -- A Sudden Valley home took severe smoke and heat damage in a fire Monday afternoon, Nov. 23.

The resident, a man in his mid-60s, had been out with his dog Monday afternoon. He came home around 4 p.m. and smelled smoke as he walked up to his porch at 8 Lookout Mountain Lane, said South Whatcom Fire Authority Chief Dave Ralston.

He opened the door, found the floor covered in smoke and called 911. The man tried to put out the flames with a garden hose -- an effort the fire chief usually wouldn't encourage, but in this case, Ralston said, it slowed the fire's spread.

Fire crews had the flames under control within about 20 minutes. Another couple of hours passed before firefighters could finish it off. By then a hole had burned through the floor to the basement, and an entire side of the two-story A-frame house had taken heavy damage from flames.

No one was hurt.

Authorities believe the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction near the front door, beside a window and a TV stand, Ralston said. For now the home isn't habitable. Repair costs could exceed $75,000.

Ralston noted that the resident had insurance and a place to stay in the meantime.

Caleb Hutton: 360-715-2276, @bhamcaleb

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