Neighbors, mayor discuss house fire

Mayor Marna Hanneman said the blaze that destroyed one house and threatened others last month is a wake-up call for the town during a July 6 forum at La Conner Swinomish Library.

She asked Fire Chief Aaron Reinstra and fire department community outreach officer Natalie Baker to reflect on the incident and share safety tips.

The ensuing discussion was robust at times and informative.

"I feel it's important for us to communicate with one another in an open and transparent manner," Hanneman said at the close of the 90-minute session. Most of the 13 attendees were residents from the north end neighborhood where the June 19 three-alarm fire occurred.

All expressed relief that homeowners Tony and Jane Mitchell were able to escape without serious injury and that neighbors safely vacated their houses while the flames were being doused.

"That's why I love this area," said Reinstra. "Everybody knew where everybody was. They took care of everybody."

Still, there were some dicey moments that afternoon.

"It was horribly scary," said next-door neighbor Debbie Aldrich. She also criticized "looky loos," smoke-chasing onlookers who risked impeding the response by firefighters.

Reinstra termed the fire accidental but declined to cite a cause.

He was first on scene within five minutes of receiving the initial 911 call. He recounted steps he took to immediately get water on the burning house with firefighters from La Conner, Skagit County Fire District 13 and McLean Road Fire Department en route to the North Fifth Street home.

"I was at the fire hall when the call came in," Reinstra said. "My first instinct was to look at the sky. I saw smoke, so I jumped in the truck and called for additional manpower. Our protocol is to not leave until we have a crew of at least three, but I knew how important it was to get water on that fire as quick as possible. The first five minutes was all about getting water on the house."

Reinstra got immediate help, including from town councilmember Rick Dole, a former volunteer with the Coupeville Fire Department.

Neighbors Jerry George and William Smith watered down adjoining lawns and structures to help prevent the fire from spreading. Some neighbor houses sustained smoke damage from fast-burning plastic building materials.

Reinstra lamented that odors will linger until the house is demolished.

"My truck still smells like the fire," he said. "Smoke damage is a hard one. The smoke just seeps in. But you can still live in your houses. For us, that's a save."

Reinstra referred to the fire and its aftermath as the "best worst-case scenario," noting that the outcome could have been much worse. He urged townspeople to call 911 in the event of an emergency.

"We're part of the community," he said. "We're here. Just call. We'll come down. That's what we're here for. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get there."

Dole, the council's liaison to the emergency management commission, advocated for "neighborhood mapping," so residents know the needs of their neighbors.

"It's important so that you know everybody's specific needs in case of a fire or emergency," Dole said.

Baker, Reinstra and Town Administrator Scott Thomas said La Conner's volunteer firefighters receive the same training as those employed by paid departments. Baker said La Conner firefighters are trained to wield a wide range of equipment, including thermal cameras, which were used to detect potential rekindling spots at the Mitchell house.

Baker said the fire department offers fire safety programs for La Conner students and she's willing to instruct adults too.

Linda Talman, another neighbor, gained support for her suggestion that basic fire safety training be tied to community mingle programs.

"We need to do all that we can as individuals to know what we have to do in an emergency," said Hanneman. "Even if it's as simple as knowing who to call."

Hanneman and others said the emergency response continues for the Mitchells with an account established at WaFd Bank to help the couple.

Reinstra said the multi-agency response was marked by teamwork.

"On a fire scene, things can change rapidly," Reinstra said. "Rather than saying we have too many firefighters, I would say we never have enough on scene. We have guys who are on stand-by. If something goes wrong, they're there."

Teamwork extended through the neighborhood, too.

"It was an amazing effort on behalf of the community," Leslie Smith said.

Talman agreed. "There were a lot of heroes there that day."