Thomas Foley took this photo while waiting for firefighters to arrive for a second time at a house fire in Underwood, just off Wess Road. The fire initially started on Thursday around 3 a.m. At approximately 7 p.m. the same day, Maria Foley called 911 to report a start-up fire. This time the home was completely engulfed in flames. According to Foley, after some time and using two hoses to fight the fire, the firefighters needed more water. Neighbors helped locate the fire hydrant (which was buried in snow) and Foley’s 17-year-old son, Thomas, helped shovel it out while another neighbor drove his backhoe over to clear out the fire hydrant.
Thomas Foley took this photo while waiting for firefighters to arrive for a second time at a house fire in Underwood, just off Wess Road. The fire initially started on Thursday around 3 a.m. At approximately 7 p.m. the same day, Maria Foley called 911 to report a start-up fire. This time the home was completely engulfed in flames. According to Foley, after some time and using two hoses to fight the fire, the firefighters needed more water. Neighbors helped locate the fire hydrant (which was buried in snow) and Foley’s 17-year-old son, Thomas, helped shovel it out while another neighbor drove his backhoe over to clear out the fire hydrant.
Icy conditions made a mess for Skamania County Fire Department District No. 3, with mutual aid from Klickitat County Fire District No. 3, White Salmon Fire Department, and Bingen Fire Department, when they responded to a house fire off Wess Road in Underwood.
The call came in at 4:15 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. Fire crews responded to the home where a propane insert fireplace had caught fire. Responders extinguished the fire by 8 a.m. then went through the home with a heat gun and detected no hot spots.
The fire departments then responded to the same house that evening when the call came in at 7:06 p.m. The initial house was again on fire and now fully engulfed. Underwood fire responded with an engine and tender, and mutual aid was again provided by Southwest Fire.
An Underwood responder said the house was considered a total loss. No one, however, was injured.
At the time of the second fire, Underwood Fire Department was without power and was at critical levels of water in its reservoir.
During the second call, firefighters decided not to drain the reservoir further and instead watched the house for any sign of fire for the entirety of Thursday evening. Crews wrapped up the watch by 9:30 a.m. Friday.
One responder said it was so icy that it was an absolute nightmare getting to the home.
Skamania County Undersheriff Pat Bond commented on the fire, saying that the road was extremely hazardous to navigate.
“A county road crew was called to assist in making the roadway safer for emergency crews. Our deputy also assisted with getting personnel to the scene. He was in a 4x4 and had to utilize chains,” Bond said in an email.
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