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Roseburg Fire Department put out a house fire at 939 Rowe Ave. around 7 a.m. today. The house was vacant and going to be the site of an estate sale today. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Fire broke out this morning in an east Roseburg home where an estate sale was planned to start a couple of hours later.
The former occupant of the home at 939 Rowe Ave., Vivian Dannice Smith, 54, had died of cancer just two weeks ago, and there was nobody else in the house when the fire started, according to Smith’s sister, Jennie Lindi of Roseburg.
Family friend Cathy Bell of Roseburg arrived at the home around 7 a.m. to help prepare for the sale when she noticed what looked like smoke and a little light inside the home.
“I just started screaming, ‘Oh my God, the house is on fire,’” Bell said.
She called 911 on her cell phone and firefighters arrived moments later to extinguish the flames.
“She had so many antiques in here. Nice stuff,” Bell said.
Roseburg Fire Marshal Tony DiMare said it appears some items stacked on top of a furnace register in the front room ignited when the furnace kicked on due to the cold.
The small fire caused smoke damage throughout the house, and a little fire damage near its source. DiMare said the fact that the home was unoccupied and closed up helped deprive it of oxygen and kept it from growing.
He estimated the damage at $10,000, half of which was to the home’s contents.
The property is owned by James L. Walker.
Among the valuables that were planned for sale this morning were antiques, collectibles, camping equipment, furniture and other items, said Lindi.
“I even came down and put an ad in the paper,” said Lindi, laughing. “I don’t think we’ll be doing (the sale) today.”
• You can reach Web editor/copy editor Christian Bringhurst at 957-4216 or by e-mail at cbringhurst@newsreview.info.
The former occupant of the home at 939 Rowe Ave., Vivian Dannice Smith, 54, had died of cancer just two weeks ago, and there was nobody else in the house when the fire started, according to Smith’s sister, Jennie Lindi of Roseburg.
Family friend Cathy Bell of Roseburg arrived at the home around 7 a.m. to help prepare for the sale when she noticed what looked like smoke and a little light inside the home.
“I just started screaming, ‘Oh my God, the house is on fire,’” Bell said.
She called 911 on her cell phone and firefighters arrived moments later to extinguish the flames.
“She had so many antiques in here. Nice stuff,” Bell said.
Roseburg Fire Marshal Tony DiMare said it appears some items stacked on top of a furnace register in the front room ignited when the furnace kicked on due to the cold.
The small fire caused smoke damage throughout the house, and a little fire damage near its source. DiMare said the fact that the home was unoccupied and closed up helped deprive it of oxygen and kept it from growing.
He estimated the damage at $10,000, half of which was to the home’s contents.
The property is owned by James L. Walker.
Among the valuables that were planned for sale this morning were antiques, collectibles, camping equipment, furniture and other items, said Lindi.
“I even came down and put an ad in the paper,” said Lindi, laughing. “I don’t think we’ll be doing (the sale) today.”
• You can reach Web editor/copy editor Christian Bringhurst at 957-4216 or by e-mail at cbringhurst@newsreview.info.
