A massive fire tonight in the Stewart-Lenox area just west of Klamath Falls has destroyed two homes, and several outbuildings.
The fire broke out shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Cortez Street.
Scott Rice of Klamath County Fire District #1 says investigators still aren’t sure just what sparked the fire…
“It appears it may have started in a back yard, it had a lot of wood debris, boats and stuff in the back.”
Brandon McKinney was hitch hiking through the area…
“And someone picked me up, and we were driving by, and saw smoke, and he asked me: ‘Do you want to stop and see what’s going on’ And we saw someone pull someone out of the house, so we started helping them pull someone out of the house – and as soon as we’re out, the house pretty much, two minutes later, the house was in flames.”
Neighbor Darlene Kunkel says the fire spread quickly…
“I woke up and saw flames shooting out of the driveway. Then it spread to the back of the house – and then it started to the front of the house.”
Firefighters say the fire has destroyed two homes, at least one camp trailer, and several outbuildings.
One of those outbuildings was owned by neighbor Jim Yahne…
“When I got here, it was spreading from the back area somewhere, and the shed was still okay – all my belongings and everything was where there’s a pile of ashes now.”
One person has been taken to the hospital with breathing problems. No other injuries have been reported.
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