Apparent chimney fire destroys NK rental home, displaces tenant

By Staff report • April 29, 2025 1:30 am
NKF&R courtesy photos After stopping the fire’s progress within twenty minutes of arrival, firefighters spent another three hours digging through materials to find and extinguish remaining embers. Here, NKF&R firefighter Tucker Burns applies water to a hot spot in the home’s bathroom.
NKF&R courtesy photos After stopping the fire’s progress within twenty minutes of arrival, firefighters spent another three hours digging through materials to find and extinguish remaining embers. Here, NKF&R firefighter Tucker Burns applies water to a hot spot in the home’s bathroom.

Firefighters successfully prevented a house fire from spreading to adjacent structures after a heavy fuel load, ventilation and delayed reporting contributed to rapid growth of an apparent chimney fire in the Miller Bay Estates neighborhood between Poulsbo and Indianola the morning of April 27.

The rental home was destroyed and the displaced tenant was connected with the American Red Cross for assistance, per a North Kitsap Fire & Rescue news release. There were no injuries to firefighters but one civilian was evaluated at the scene for possible smoke inhalation and declined further treatment or ambulance transport. It is unknown if the homeowner or the tenant has insurance.

NKF&R, Poulsbo Fire Department and Bainbridge Island Fire Department crews were called to the Beachwood Avenue home at 8:26 a.m. after multiple neighbors called 911 to report flames coming from the 1,600 square-foot split-level home. As units made their way to the scene, a column of black smoke was already visible from Kingston and from Bainbridge Island. The first unit arrived on scene in just over seven minutes, reporting the structure’s top level as fully-involved with flames visible from the roof, windows and open front door, per the release. The occupant was safely outside.

With no fire hydrants readily accessible, crews used their limited supply of water to keep the fire from spreading beyond the already-destroyed home. As soon as water tender trucks arrived on scene within 20 minutes of dispatch, firefighters declared the fire under control. However, it took several more hours and thousands of gallons of water to fully extinguish hot spots deep within the large volume of books and other materials stored inside the home.

An investigator from the Kitsap County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene. The occupant told officials that she’d started a fire in the fireplace, left the room and returned to find fire coming from the wall above. Based on witness reports and physical evidence, the investigator believes that the fire started in the chimney and spread quickly to involve the structure, the release concludes.