Couple go out, return home to find Port Hadlock home destroyed by fire

PORT HADLOCK — A fire destroyed a home at 111 A St. Friday night, East Jefferson Fire-Rescue said Saturday.

The Port Hadlock house was empty at the time and there were no injuries, said fire department spokesman Bill Beezley.

The owners of the single-family home, Rick and Laurie Crawford, plan to stay in a recreational vehicle in the front yard, Beezley said.

The cause of the fire had not been determined Saturday.

Kelly Liske, a close friend of the Crawfords, said the couple lived in the home for 30 years.

“Naturally, everything they own is lost,” she said.

Liske, the branch manger of First Federal’s Port Townsend branch, said a donation account has been set up for the Crawfords at the bank.

Beezley gave this account:

The Crawfords told firefighters that they left at about 5:30 p.m.

Jefferson County Deputy Jesse Picard was patrolling nearby when a man flagged him down and directed him to the house, where flames were spurting from the left side.

Picard kicked in the front door of the smoke-filled house and called out but found the home empty.

Firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames when they arrived at 7:57 p.m.

“The firefighter’s efforts were hampered by the unavailability of nearby fire hydrants,” Beezley said.

Deputy Chief Ted Krysinski estimated he would need at least 3,000 feet of hose to reach the nearest hydrant, called for additional water tenders and routed their water supplies through a primary pumper.

“The double-wide manufactured home, built in approximately 1978, also had three asphalt shingle roof layers under a final steel layer,” Beezley said.

“The numerous roofing layers hampered firefighter’s efforts to quench the fire by holding the heat within the home.”

Krysinski resorted to injecting chemical foam into the hose water, which helped suffocate the flames, Beezley said.

A fire watch was set overnight.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Liske said it’s unclear how much insurance will cover.

Monetary donations can be made at any First Federal branch, she said.

Non-cash donations, such as food, clothing and furniture can be made by phoning Liske at 360-344-4912 or 360-301-5223.

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