-33°

Fire erupted out of a wood stove when a man reportedly used gasoline to relight it, and the fire burned the man and his house near Mile 116 of the Sterling Highway in Clam Gulch.

Central Emergency Services received a 911 call at 6:20 p.m. Thursday from a passing motorist saying flames were coming from every opening of the 30-foot by 50-foot structure on Loveall Loop.

The first fire engine arrived on scene within seven minutes, according to CES Fire Marshal Gary Hale, and found the structure fully engulfed in flames.

The occupant of the house, Donald Thrapp, sustained possible smoke inhalation and burns to his hands, and was taken to Central Peninsula Hospital for further evaluation and treatment, according to Hale.

Fire fighters, responding with one engine, a ladder truck, a medic unit and four tankers, declared the fire under control within 20 minutes and had the fire out in another 90 minutes, but not before the entire house and its contents sustained major fire damage.

Hale estimated the total loss at $30,000.

He said the homeowner stated he thought a fire in the wood stove had gone out and attempted to relight it by pouring gasoline into the stove. Glowing embers hidden beneath the wood, however, caused the fire to erupt, setting the man's clothes and the interior of the house on fire.

After extinguishing the fire and leaving the scene, CES received another call that the house was on fire a few hours later, but responding fire fighters found only smoke and small flames, Hale said.

"The house had already been destroyed (by the earlier fire)," he said.

The American Red Cross has been contacted to assist Thrapp with housing.

Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.