Lacey fire crews put out house fire near Long Lake early Thursday morning

OLYMPIA – Lacey, Washington, firefighters put out a house fire that alarmed a neighborhood south of Long Lake early Thursday morning.

The blaze began before 2:30 a.m. at a home on the 8300 block of 54th Court Southeast near Mullen Road, said Jennifer Schmidt, Deputy Chief of Operations for Lacey Fire District 3. Fire crews responded to the scene after several neighbors called 911 to report “a lot of flames” on the backside of the home, she said.

Crews got the blaze under control in about 30 minutes, but she said they remained on site until about 4:48 a.m. The cause of the blaze remained under investigation as of Thursday morning, she added.

The residents of the home self-evacuated and were unharmed, Schmidt said. There also were various animals on the property including dogs, reptiles and even a pig.

“It sounds like a pig was the one that was most alarmed and so he was very vocal,” Schmidt said. “The animals that we were all in contact with were uninjured and were able to either be evacuated or supported there in place.”

One cat remained unaccounted for by the time fire crews left the scene, but she said it may still be found soon.

“Cats are famous for hiding or leaving the area initially and coming back,” Schmidt said. “We’re hoping that’s the case with the cat.”

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries when responding to the home, Schmidt said. Some sheet rock came loose from the ceiling and struck their heads, but they were protected by their helmets.

“Both of them were able to return back to their quarters,” Schmidt said.

The blaze seems to have started on an exterior wall and made its way inside the attic. No other homes were affected by the fire.

Neighbors reportedly came out onto the street to inquire about the situation and offer help to the residents, Schmidt said.

“In this case, Red Cross was notified, and they do a wonderful job of supporting households and families, but there is some real comfort in knowing that your neighbors are there for you as well,” Schmidt said.