MALTBY — A blaze quickly destroyed a large two-story house Thursday afternoon near Echo Lake south of Monroe.
Nobody was injured in the fire that started around 1:40 p.m. in the 23400 block of 124th Drive SE. Fire crews contained the blaze within half an hour, but damage was estimated in excess of $600,000, said Gary Bontrager, a fire investigator with the Snohomish County Fire Marshall’s Office.
About 20 firefighters and four fire engines responded to the blaze, said Ralph Provenzano, battalion chief of Snohomish County Fire District 7. The home was insured, he said.
Investigators have yet to find out what sparked the fire.
“We don’t see anything suspicious,” Provenzano said.
The home’s occupants were away on vacation, according to officials. Paul Hofer, a neighbor, said he noticed smoke and flames rising from the 3,800-square-foot home. Hofer drove to the house. He and other neighbors called 911.
Before fire crews arrived, Hofer said he and another neighbor towed away a boat from the driveway with his GMC Yukon.
The house “was already burning pretty good at that point,” he said.
Hofer was relieved that the fire didn’t spread to trees around the house.
“I’m happy no one was inside,” he said.
Thursday’s fire occurred near the neighborhood where environmental terrorists are suspected of starting fires on the Street of Dreams earlier this year, causing $7 million in damage, destroying three homes and damaging two others. No arrests have been made in those arsons.
Bystanders looked at the gutted house on Thursday afternoon.
“I’ve lived here for 13 years, and we never had a single fire,” Sean Stelfox, 21, said.
Neighbors are behind the family who lost their home, Stelfox said.
“We will definitely lend a helping hand,” he said.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
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