PORT GAMBLE — The quick actions of a woman who noticed flames coming from the front porch saved a 111-year-old New England-style home in this historical-landmark town early Sept. 18.
The call came in at 4:46 a.m. after the barista in a nearby drive-thru coffee shop heard someone yelling “fire.”
“I noticed a truck slow down, back up, and then a lady ran over to the house and started pounding on the door. That’s when I saw the flames,” barista Lynn Wayland told Poulsbo Fire spokeswoman Jody Matson.
Kitsap County Deputy Steve Jensen was first on scene and quickly extinguished the flames with a fire extinguisher, Matson reported. When crews from the Poulsbo Fire Department and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from under the porch and the side of the house. Crews had the fire extinguished in approximately 15 minutes, Matson reported.
The home is being rented by a 40-year-old male who wasn’t home at the time of the fire. There were no injuries. Damage was limited to the porch, front siding of the home, front door, and some slight smoke damage to the interior.
According to the Kitsap County Fire Marshal, the fire was likely started by a discarded cigarette. Capt. Bob Brooks said, “It’s not uncommon to respond to a fire where someone was smoking and did not completely extinguish the butt.” Fire officials say fires caused by cigarette smoking are the deadliest type of home fires. Smokers are advised to use a sturdy ashtray or can filled with sand, and soak the butts in water before discarding.
Port Gamble is owned by Pope Resources and managed by its real estate arm, Olympic Property Group. The town’s homes were restored by Pope Resources and Port Gamble is said to be the only remaining company-owned mill town in the Puget Sound region.
“Fire is one of our worst fears with regards to preserving these old homes,” maintenance manager Kathy Keller said.
According to signage outside the home, the house is known as the Estes & Ava Crouse House. While the house was built in 1903, the Crouses were its longest inhabitants — from 1931-1963.
Estes Crouse was head machinist at the mill from 1927-1960; his wife, the former Ava Hallowell, was a nurse at the mill’s hospital. Estes’ father, Charles Crouse, a mechanic helper at the mill from 1929-1936, lived with them in the house after the death of his wife in 1933.
