Stovepipe blamed for Sagle fire

SAGLE - No injuries were reported after a structure fire damaged a century-old homestead cabin on Bottle Bay Road on Friday morning.

Accumulated buildup in a stovepipe in the home caught fire, which then spread into the attic and the ceiling, said Selkirk Fire Rescue and EMS Chief Ron Stocking.

"It basically just did a number on their second floor," Stocking said.

However, firefighters from the departments in Sagle and Sandpoint were able to keep the fire from spreading further and save most of the possessions of a retired couple who were renting the home.

"It was an aggressive attack," Stocking said.

Firefighters were summoned to the 7900 block of Bottle Bay shortly after 8 a.m. The couple was able to exit the home uninjured and has secured alternative lodging with help from Idaho Red Cross, Stocking said.

Stocking said the fire underscores the importance of cleaning stovepipes more than once a year, especially if the home's sole source of heat is a stove that is fueled by wood from a variety of tree species.

"It's exactly what caused this (fire) to go," he said.

Stocking said the fire did an estimated $50,000 worth of damage. Firefighters spared the home another $100,000 in damage.

The home was insured by its owners, but its contents were not because the couple did not have renter's insurance. Stocking recommends renters obtain insurance.

"It does not cost a lot of money," he said.