Residents safe after garage fire

A garage fire in Sisters Wednesday morning, November 16, resulted in fire and smoke damage to the home.

The fire occurred in a single-family residence located at 115 N. Maple St. in Sisters. The home is owned by William and Pat Faris of Sisters. The fire started near a workbench in the rear of the garage. The homeowners noticed smoke in the garage and called 911 at 9:37 a.m. to report the fire. The owners then filled buckets with water and threw water on the flames from the back door of the garage. Firefighters arrived in less than five minutes and extinguished the fire.

Most of the contents of the garage were damaged by the fire or smoke. The living area of the home also suffered smoke damage as a result of the fire. The home electrical wiring was damaged in the fire and Central Electric Cooperative responded to the scene to disconnect the power to the home.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District responded to the fire with two fire engines, one ambulance and three other units. Black Butte Ranch Fire District and Cloverdale Fire District also responded to the fire. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District was holding its monthly staff meeting for career firefighters when the fire was dispatched. Cloverdale Fire Chief Thad Olsen was also less than a mile away at the time of the fire and responded directly to the scene.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Chief Roger Johnson said, "We were fortunate to have the station full of people at the time of the fire. Every fire engine rolled out the door full of firefighters."

Five emergency response vehicles from Sisters responded to the fire with 14 firefighters. Four additional firefighters responded to the station to stand by for additional calls.

Automatic aid agreements between Sisters, Black Butte Ranch and Cloverdale fire districts worked well during the fire, with each agency sending resources to the scene. When fires occur in Sisters the other agencies are dispatched automatically. The agencies train together and utilize standardized operational procedures and communications.

Chief Johnson said, "This was a perfect example of how well the agencies are working together. Chief Olsen from Cloverdale was blocks away when the 911 call was received and drove directly to the fire and assumed command of the operation. Chief Olsen directed incoming Sisters units until command was transferred to Sisters chief officers. It was a textbook example of how coordination and cooperation can benefit our community."

The Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal assisted with the fire cause determination. The fire is believed to be accidental.

The homeowners are insured and there is no damage estimate available at this time. The Red Cross also responded to the scene.