PORT TOWNSEND — A family was left homeless after a fire destroyed a home in the Kala Point community outside Port Townsend.
East Jefferson Fire-Rescue firefighters were notified of the fire in the 500 block of Pinecrest Drive at about 4:49 p.m. Friday after residents discovered a fire in the shed behind their home and called 9-1-1, according to a news release from Bill Beezley, fire department spokesman.
The family of five was left homeless. The American Red Cross was contacted to provide temporary shelter and basic necessities, Beezley said.
The cause of the fire wasn’t known Saturday.
When firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to the 4,100-square-foot house, located on a heavily wooded lot, and was rapidly growing in size, Beezley said.
Crews entered through the front to apply water to save the house but were driven back after the house flashed over, blowing out several windows and making it too dangerous to stay inside, Beezley said.
Firefighters eventually knocked down the fire, but not before the house was uninhabitable.
The tenants told firefighters they were leaving to eat dinner when they heard loud crackling behind the home. That’s when they found the shed in flames.
They had renters’ insurance and the house was insured by the homeowner, Beezley said.
