Tollgate home destroyed in fire

A young family escaped a fire in a house on the western edge of Tollgate on Friday, June 21, that completely destroyed their home.

Firefighters from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD) responded to a report of a house fire on Saddle Horn in the Tollgate subdivision near Sisters. Crews arrived to find a single-family home heavily involved in fire, with fire spreading to the grass and brush. The initial arriving engine crews from Sisters, supported by an engine from the Cloverdale Fire District, a ladder truck from Black Butte Ranch Fire Department, and the U.S. Forest Service were able to bring the fire under control, but the home and contents were a total loss.

The home was occupied at the time with the family able to escape without injury. Red Cross is assisting the family. One firefighter sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. Property loss is estimated to be $200,000 dollars.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office and SCSFD investigated the fire. According to SCSFD, the cause of the fire was determined to be an unattended Traeger smoker operated on the front porch which caught fire and spread throughout the house.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family - a single mother with three young children. According to organizer Chris Ruffin, "Right now, our primary goal is to secure a place for Amy and her children to stay. They also urgently need basic supplies, food, and childcare so that Amy can continue to work and provide for her family."

The donation page can be accessed at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-amys-family-recover-from-house-fire.

The GoFundMe page reported that local firefighters staged a fourth birthday party for one of the children, whose birthday fell the day after the fire.