SISTERS, OR -- Fire officials believe a hot tub malfunction led to an early morning house fire, Wednesday, in Sisters. Firefighters arrived on E. Black Crater Ave. just after 1:30 a.m. and found flames coming from the corner of the home.

The family reported seeing a glow through a bedroom window prior to evacuating and alerting neighbors. The blaze was about 7'x14' in size, and was confined to the exterior wall and the hot tub. Crews removed burned siding and applied plastic to protect from the weather. The specific cause remains under investigation. Damage is estimated at $10,000.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Shift Commander Thornton Brown said in a statement, "The occupants did the right thing by quickly evacuating the home, calling 911 and alerting neighbors." He says there were working smoke detectors, but because the fire was contained outside, alarms never sounded.