Oxygen tanks explode as Whatcom house burns to the frame

Nobody was injured in a house fire Monday night, Oct. 24, north of Kendall, even as the blaze caused multiple oxygen tanks in the home to explode, according to Whatcom County Fire District 14 Chief Jerry DeBruin.

Two adults and their dogs were able to make it out of the building safely.

The fire was caused by a wood stove in the one-bedroom, one-bathroom A-frame residence, DeBruin said in a telephone interview.

The oxygen tank explosions had no major impact on the severity of the fire. “Once the fire gets going like that inside, it just goes right to the peak and out, it burns really hot really fast,” he said.

DeBruin said they received the 911 call around 8 p.m. Monday, and they had the fire out in under two hours. The inside of the structure was “toast,” but the metal frame was still standing. There was also some damage to a nearby recreational trailer.

Three engines responded to the fire along with aid cars and four water tenders. It took an estimated 10,000-plus gallons of water to get the fire under control, according to DeBruin.

DeBruin said it is important for people to be careful with their wood stoves and chimneys as the weather gets colder, and to make sure smoke detectors are in place and working.