Child reportedly lit Warner fire in Clark County

A two-alarm fire last month that heavily damaged the Camas, Clark County, home of Chevrolet dealer and former Seahawks running back Curt Warner was caused by a child playing with matches, a fire marshal said.

The damage estimate of the blaze still stands at between $300,000 and $500,000, said Camas Fire Marshal Randy Miller.

The Camas Fire Department, along with East County Fire & Rescue and the Vancouver Fire Department, rushed to the house shortly before 5 p.m. on Feb. 22.

When firefighters arrived, they reported 20-foot flames roaring out of an upstairs window facing the street.

Firefighters said that Warner's wife, Ana, collected their four children and led them to safety.

First to arrive, Camas fire Capt. Kevin Bergstrom and firefighter-paramedic Mark Widlund quickly set up a Blitzfire, a type of high-pressure nozzle, and sent the truck's entire 400 gallons of water through the window in about a minute.

That drenching did a lot to knock the flames down as other firefighters arrived.

As a result of the harrowing and expensive blaze, Miller said the Warner family told him they likely will add a sprinkler system to their large house.

"It's probably the best thing a family can do for life safety is to install residential fire sprinklers," Miller said.

Sprinklers, along with plenty of smoke alarms and living in an area served by a well-trained and well-equipped fire department, are the best bets to protect a house and its occupants, Miller said.