BEND, OR -- A vacant county-owned building in downtown Bend was heavily damaged by fire early Sunday morning. Firefighters responded to Northwest Lafayette at about 3:30 a.m. and found fire in the attic of the nearly 90-year-old structure.

High winds fanned the flames, but crews were able to stop the fire from spreading to a neighboring church. Damage is estimated at $100,000.

Investigators determined the blaze started on the outside of the former home, in an area where someone was hanging out, likely to avoid the wind and cold. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction for county-owned buildings and is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911.

The house was built in 1935 and converted into law offices in the late 1990s. Deschutes County purchased the property in September of 2022.