IRONDALE — A lighted candle probably caused a fire that left a family homeless Wednesday afternoon, investigators said.
“It appears to be an unattended lit candle which caused the fire,” said Keppie Keplinger, spokeswoman for East Jefferson Fire-Rescue.
“However we will continue to investigate.”
No one was hurt in the flames.
The fire, which started just after 5 p.m., consumed the walls in one corner of the mobile home at 294 Eighth Ave., in Irondale.
“A woman lives there with her son and three dogs,” Kepplinger said.
“The woman was sleeping, and one of the barking dogs woke her up and alerted her to the fire.”
Keplinger said the department would not release the names of the family members until its investigation is complete — likely sometime today.
It was unknown who was in the house at the time of the fire other than the woman, Keplinger said, adding that the owner of the house did not live there, and that the family occupying it was renting.
She added that no smoke alarms were present in the home.
Jefferson County Red Cross was called to assist the family with lodging for the night.
The house sustained substantial smoke damage, Keplinger said.
“It’s definitely severe smoke damage,” she said. “It may even be total damage.”
Firefighters with Port Ludlow Fire and Rescue and the Indian Island Fire Department assisted.
Indian Island Fire Department went to East Jefferson’s Chimacum station as backup support for the district.
