Fire destroys Black Butte Ranch condos

A structural fire destroyed one condominium unit and heavily damaged another at Black Butte Ranch late Friday afternoon.

The units were the first units located just west of the Lakeside Bistro near the Black Butte Ranch Lodge.

Agencies received the call shortly before 5 p.m. All available units of the Black Butte Rural Fire Protection District responded to the call and were soon supported by firefighters from the Sisters and Camp Sherman stations of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.

When the fire threatened to spread into large ponderosa pine trees surrounding the condos, crews responded from the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.

Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading into the nearby recreation complex on the Ranch.

However, they were unable to prevent heavy damage to the structure.

Condo unit #45 was completely destroyed and unit #44 received major damage from smoke, water and fire extending through the common wall.

Crews had the fire under control by 5:30 p.m., but smoke from the two-story building fire and combustible materials inside continued to fill the area for some time after the threat was contained.

More than 100 Black Butte residents and visitors watched firefighters from a distance, sitting on the surrounding lawn.

While a preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire has been completed, that information has not yet been released; nor was there an estimate of the loss, according to Capt. Tim Demers.

“We have notified owners of the two condos, but have not yet announced those names,” he said on Monday.

“The fire was first reported by a woman leaving the swimming pool at around 4:55 p.m.,” said Black Butte patrolman Kevin Lettenmaier.

“The fire may have originated on the deck of one of the units that was not occupied at the time.”

Residents of nearby units were quickly evacuated to safety, the officer reported.

The condominiums are reportedly among the oldest units on the Ranch.

The wooden building had many angles and eaves in the structure, posing a challenge to firefighters who had more surfaces where they had to fight fire.

By 10 p.m., the fire was out allowing investigators to begin their search for the cause. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night.