by the Gazette-times | Posted: Monday, December 10, 2007 12:00 am
On Sunday at approximately 6:30 a.m. the Corvallis Fire Department responded to a house fire at 1912 Garryanna Place. The fire was quickly upgraded to a second alarm and in all five fire engines, one ladder truck and a command vehicle carrying 18 firefighters and the battalion chiefs for both the night and day shifts responded to the blaze. The fire was brought under control within 45 minutes and their were no injuries.
The fire was initially discovered by an off-duty firefighter, Lt. Kevin Hanauer, who saw flames shooting from the attic from several blocks away, on his way to work. Hanauer reported the blaze and entered the structure to check for occupants, but found none. According to Corvallis Fire Department fire prevention officer Carla Pusateri, the fire alarm was sounding when Hanauer checked inside the house.
The occupants, Kyle Hogrefe and Jenny Hawkins, were not at home at the time of the fire. According to Hogrefe, the couple was on a cross-country skiing trip. They were informed of the fire by the Corvallis Fire Department on Sunday morning while staying in Sisters.
"Most of the interior is destroyed, most of their belongings are lost," said Pusateri. A large section of the roof was also burned away. The American Red Cross Oregon Pacific Chapter is assisting the couple with food, clothing and shelter for the time being. The Red Cross can be reached at 541-753-6628 or 541 926-1543.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.