An apartment fire that displaced three families Sunday in Vancouver was caused by a bathroom exhaust fan’s electrical failure or malfunction, according to the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office.
The accidental fire at the Maple Court Apartments, 2402 E. Eighth St., caused nearly $53,000 worth of damage, Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said.
Speaking generally, Scarpelli said the bearings in bathroom exhaust fans, over time, can seize up and create friction and heat, igniting adjacent combustibles.
Crews from the Vancouver Fire Department were dispatched at 4:26 p.m. for a fire in the Hudson’s Bay neighborhood, according to a department news release. They arrived to find smoke showing and a fire burning in the attic.
Crews rescued a dog in one of the apartments as they gained control of the fire, according to the department and fire marshal’s office.