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The fire department responded to a house fire Friday night in the Spring Beach neighborhood on Vashon’s south end and extinguished it before there was extensive damage to the home.

Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) firefighter Jason Everett, the incident commander that evening, said the fire began in the home’s chimney and then spread to the roof, but did not cause damage beyond that. The department was called to the fire, in the 14700 block of Spring Beach Road, around 7:30 p.m. The home belongs to Mark and Wendy Paridon.

On Tuesday, Wendy Paridon said her family had been staying at their home since the incident, but there is a hole in the roof and no heat or electricity, so they have decided to stay with friends for awhile.

She added she and her husband tried to fight the fire before the VIFR team arrived, and she was quick to extend thanks to the firefighters for their efforts.

“We are really appreciative of VIFR. They are all so nice and helpful and kind and understanding,” she said. “They saved our home.”

While the Paridons have insurance, she said she expected the repairs would be costly.

Everett noted that fires in that neighborhood are of particular concern because of the community’s remote location, the narrow road in, the surrounding steep hillsides and the frequent winds that come in off the water. However, Everett said that the firefighting operations went well Friday evening, despite the logistical challenges, including that the department’s radios did not work there. Turnout to the scene was strong, he added, with at least 10 members of the department, both staff and volunteers, responding.

“It all worked out fine,” he said, adding that the department trains for such incidents.

“We are mindful and cognizant of the systemic challenges, and we’re constantly working to make sure we are prepared to meet those challenges,” he said.

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