Lacey firefighters responded to a house fire on the 7000 block of Kelly Beach Road Southwest near Pattison Lake late Tuesday evening.
An occupant of the home called for help just before 11 p.m. and told dispatch that her mother had fallen asleep with a cigarette, said Jennifer Schmidt, Deputy Chief of Operations at Lacey Fire District 3.
Fire crews arrived soon after the call to find a two-story dwelling with a fire on the second floor, Schmidt said. The blaze was put out "fairly quickly" and all the occupants were able to get out of the home without injuries, she said.
Flames damaged about a quarter of the house, she said, and smoke and water damaged the home as well. In all, she said investigators estimated there was about $100,000 worth of property lost.
"The occupants were not able to go back in last night," Schmidt said. "I don't believe it was a total loss, but it was certainly pretty invasive in the home."
She said the damage firefighters found in the home was consistent with the explanation from the occupant.
Twenty firefighters responded to the scene, Schmidt said, including mutual aid partners from the Olympia and East Olympia fire departments.
Schmidt advised residents to check their smoke detectors and change batteries as needed this time of year. Residents should also review evacuation plans with each person living in their home, she added.
"Now's the time that we're using alternative heat sources for dealing with more and more inclement weather," Schmidt said. "It's never too late to do those safety checks in your home."
