House Fire (Photo by Keizer Police)

The Keizer Fire District responded to the report of a house fire shortly after 2:15 am on Wednesday, November  10, 2004 on Keizer Rd. in Keizer.

Units were alerted to a house fire at 2005 Keizer Rd. NE at 2:20 am. The first unit arrived at 2:24 am and reported flames coming from the living room windows of the structure.  While enroute to the fire, firefighters were advised that all occupants of the home had safelyevacuated the building. Crews began an attack on the fire and started a search of the residence for any possible victims. The firefighters reported the fire had been knocked down at 2:29 am and the situation was declared under control at 3:10 am by Captain Dave Bauer, the Incident Commander.

The home was occupied by the Alix and Tammy Necas family. Mr. Necas was not at home at the time of the fire, but 5 people were asleep in the residence when the fire broke out. All of the residents were able to escape the fire uninjured. The family did lose one dog and three cats in the blaze. Firefighters were able to rescue one cat and at least one kitten from the fire. No firefighter injuries were reported.

Fire Attack (Photo by Keizer Police)

The fire gutted the living room and the kitchen of the residence and the rest of the home suffered major heat and smoke damage. Preliminary damage estimates placed the damage to the home at $45,000 and damage to the contents of the home was placed at $25,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Twenty firefighters, two engines, one ladder truck, one rescue, two ambulances and three support vehicles responded to the fire. Salem Fire Department sent one ambulance and Marion County Fire District #1 sent one engine to the Keizer Fire Station to cover any additional calls received in the District.

Fire Marshal Joel Stein noted that the home did not have a working smoke alarm.

Stein said, “We are very fortunate we did not have any deaths in this fire.” Stein said the sixteen year old son was sleeping on the couch in the living room and for some reason woke up and discovered the fire in time to alert everyone else in the home. Stein said another minute or two and it would have been too late for people in the home.

Fire officials would like to take the opportunity to stress the vital importance of having working smoke alarms in every home. If a home doesn’t have a smoke alarm they would like to encourage people to install one. Once smoke alarms are installed it is just as important to make sure they have working batteries by checking them once a month. If residents have questions regarding smoke alarms and their installation they are encouraged to call their local fire agency.

More photos here