EDMONDS — Firefighters extinguished a house fire Sunday afternoon that appears to have been caused by a portable generator being used after Saturday’s windstorm knocked out power at the home.
Investigators believe the generator sparked flames that did more than $450,000 worth of damage to the house on the 18500 block of 82nd Ave. W. Firefighters from Snohomish County Fire District 1 responded to the call a little after noon and put out the fire in about 15 minutes, according to a news release from the fire district.
The homeowners, a husband and wife, escaped the home safely. The husband was outside when firefighters arrived, trying to extinguish the flames with a garden hose. He was treated for exposure to smoke, taken to the hospital and released a few hours later.
The house is uninhabitable after the fire, according to the news release. Investigators believe a gas-powered generator sparked the fire in flammable items stored nearby. People should keep anything that could burn at least five feet away from generators, according to the fire district. Generators should only be used in well-ventilated areas outside, not in a home or garage.
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