According to a press release issued by the Aberdeen Fire Department, at 3:32 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, the Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Cosmopolis Fire Departments were dispatched to the 2100 block of Aberdeen Avenue in the city of Aberdeen for reports of “a house on fire.” A passerby initially alerted the occupant of smoke coming from the residence.

Upon arrival, initial responders reported smoke venting from the eaves and the roof of the home. Firefighters were able to access the fire quickly with an offensive fire attack which brought the fire under control. Crews were able to confine the fire to the ceiling and wall space where the fire initially started which limited the amount of smoke and fire damage to the residence.

While a small portion of the home sustained damage, the residence was still habitable for the occupants who were able to remain in the home. There were operational smoke detectors in the residence at the time of this incident.

A total of 15 firefighters responded to this incident as three engines, one medic unit, one rescue vehicle, one command vehicle and one chief were dispatched. “Automatic Aid” responders from the Cosmopolis and Hoquiam Fire Departments were also called to assist with the management of this incident. There were no injuries to responders or occupants reported at the time. Fire crews had the fire under control within 15 minutes of the first unit arriving on-scene while overhaul and investigation of the fire kept crews on-scene for another hour after the fire was extinguished.

AFD encourages residents to check their smoke detectors monthly and to replace batteries whenever the detector “chirps” occasionally. This is a safety feature meant to notify occupants that batteries are low and due for replacement.