PHILOMATH, Ore. — A 72-year-old man died Friday morning after a house fire in Philomath, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency crews responded at approximately 7:30 a.m. May 8 to a structure fire near Northwest Sixth Street and Main Street under a unified command involving the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the Philomath Fire Department.
During an initial search of the home, firefighters located the victim inside the residence and immediately removed him from the structure. Medical personnel later determined the man was deceased at the scene.
Firefighters continued searching the home for additional victims but found none. Crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly afterward.
The cause of the fire and the victim’s death remain under investigation by the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal.
Authorities closed westbound Highway 20 for about two and a half hours while crews responded to the fire and investigators processed the scene.
Officials noted that structure fires can spread quickly and potentially ignite nearby vegetation during dry conditions. Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading beyond the home, reducing the risk of a larger wildland fire.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Philomath Fire Department thanked multiple agencies for assisting during the response, including the Corvallis Fire Department, Philomath Police Department, Oregon Department of Transportation, Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Corvallis Regional Communications Center, and the Willamette Valley First Responder Chaplains.
The sheriff’s office also extended condolences to the victim’s family and said chaplains assisted deputies in notifying next of kin.
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