Two-alarm Eugene fire likely started on back deck; pet heating mat suspected

Eugene Springfield Fire crews responded about 4:10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, to reports of a deck fire in the 1500 block of Orchard Street in the University neighborhood, finding flames that had spread from the back deck into the exterior wall and attic of an older balloon-framed home, officials said. Firefighters arrived within four minutes; one occupant exited safely before crews arrived and was not injured, and the homeowner has been displaced, according to the department's release.

Eugene Springfield Fire said the blaze "extended from the back deck into the wall and attic of a balloon-framed home, with smoke showing from the eaves." The department escalated the response to a second alarm after the fire moved quickly from the exterior deck into interior wall cavities and attic space, creating an immediate concern for rapid vertical fire spread.

Tactical actions were focused on stopping attic extension and managing roof operations. ESF reported that crews "redeployed to the second floor to stop attic extension while the truck prepared for vertical ventilation." The department's release also stressed that extra firefighters are typically necessary at fires in older balloon-framed homes because the design "allow[s] fire to freely travel in the walls" and burning material can fall through void spaces to ignite multiple floors.

Local dispatch and ESF logs show the initial response window was narrow: units were on scene within four minutes of the 4:10 a.m. call, and the second alarm was requested as the incident escalated. The fire department did not provide a containment time or an estimate of property damage in the initial release; however, the public notice confirmed the homeowner's displacement and that no injuries were reported beyond the occupant who exited prior to arrival.

Investigators are treating the origin as the rear deck area and continue to probe the ignition source. Flashalert distribution of the ESF release states plainly, "The cause is under investigation and is suspected to involve a pet heating mat on the back porch." Officials have not released further details about the mat, whether it was plugged in at the time, or whether any pets were in the home.

Eugene Springfield Fire continues to investigate the scene and has not issued a timeline for when a final cause determination or damage assessment will be available. The department's operational focus during the incident — rapid escalation to a second alarm, vertical ventilation and second-floor redeployment — underscores the particular risk balloon-framed houses present for fast-moving, multi-level fire spread.