YACHATS – U.S. Highway 101 three miles north of Yachats was closed for nearly two hours Sunday night as firefighters from three departments fought a blaze that destroyed an abandoned house.
The one-story house at 7610 N. Highway 101 had been neglected for years and half of it was covered with heavy brush, the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District said in a post on its Facebook page.
The property, which also has a deteriorating travel trailer and several outbuildings, is owned by David and Cheryl Anderson of Waldport. It is to the east of where Kansas Street enters the highway.
Yachats fire chief Frankie Petrick told YachatsNews that the fire was likely human caused but not necessarily intentional arson. Because of the value and age of the structure, the state fire marshal’s office is not investigating.
The fire was reported at 6:33 p.m. Sunday by people passing by on Highway 101. Thirteen firefighters and six pieces of equipment from the Yachats, Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue and Seal Rock departments responded.
The highway was closed to traffic because firefighters had to lay a hose across the road to reach a hydrant on the west side of the road.
Petrick said the house was fully involved when firefighters arrived. Part of the roof at the rear of the house collapsed where it was obstructed by brush.
The blaze was extinguished by 9:30 p.m., but Yachats firefighters spent the night there overnight. They were called back shortly after noon Monday when smoke started appearing at the back of the house.
Will the owners be required to clean up the property now?
Hopefully the homeowners will be required to clean up the property now. It’s been a derelict eyesore for far too long.