UPDATE | North end blaze may be accidental

Published 12:50 pm Sunday, November 16, 2014

Bainbridge Island Fire Marshal Luke Carpenter said the fire that destroyed a one-story home on the north end of the island Sunday morning was probably accidental.

Firefighters were called to a house fire in the 15000 block of Sivertson Road NE just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 16.

The home, a 1,300-square-foot house built in 1936, was a total loss.

“We’re fairly confident the cause of the fire was accidental,” Carpenter said just after noon Sunday.

Carpenter, who is also an assistant fire chief with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department, said the fire appeared to have started near a gas-powered generator that was located at the rear of the home under a deck.

The homeowners had started the generator after a power outage on Bainbridge Island that left thousands without electricity early Sunday morning. Power was restored to many Puget Sound Energy customers just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Bainbridge firefighters were still at the scene Sunday afternoon fighting “hot spots” from the fire.

One of the homeowners called 911 early Sunday after hearing an explosion in the basement of the single-story home.

Carpenter said the investigation is continuing, but authorities have not yet been able to extensively interview the residents of the home because they were taken to Harrison Medical Center for treatment shortly after firefighters arrived at the blaze.

One resident received minor burns to the back of his neck after he rushed back into the home to find the family dog. His wife was not hurt in the fire but was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

A large explosion was heard, followed by secondary explosions.

It’s not yet known if the generator was a factor in the fire, Carpenter said.

“The exact chain of events is still unclear to us now,” he said.

The home is a total loss.

“There’s nothing left to salvage,” Carpenter said.

Firefighters and investigators have not entered the home. The whereabouts of the family’s dog and cat are not known. There is no evidence they made it out of the house, Carpenter said.

“We have not been able to locate them. The house is too dangerous for us to go into,” Carpenter said.

It will be another several hours before firefighters can enter the home, he said.