Medford, Oregon- Medford Fire and Medford Police responded late Monday to a residential structure fire on the 2300 block of Howard Avenue.
Upon arrival, MPD Officers initiated the evacuation of nearby residents while Firefighters commenced efforts to contain the fire, which had erupted in a two-story garage with living quarters upstairs. First responders reported extensive flames engulfing a vehicle in front of the garage, the garage door, and flames emanating from the single-access point.
Firefighters encountered challenging conditions with heavy fire and smoke, but eventually gained entry and extinguished the fire. Tragically, 71-year-old Don Tersieff, the occupant of the building, did not survive.
Investigators from MFD and MPD are currently working to ascertain the origin and cause of the fire.
Despite a swift response time of 4 minutes and 17 seconds, access challenges including surrounding vehicles, nearby structures, and substantial amounts of stored material intensified the fire and prolonged access to the structure’s interior.
According to records from the City’s Building Safety Department, the structure was originally permitted as a garage-only in 2005. However, it appears to have been modified and utilized as living quarters without updated permits and approvals. Furthermore, officials say the building lacked functioning smoke detectors.
No additional information is available at this time.
Source: MFD
