TUMALO, OR -- One cat is dead and two others missing, following a Sunday afternoon fire in Tumalo. Fire crews responded to the 960-square foot single-wide at about 12:15 p.m. They were on-scene within nine minutes, but had trouble putting out the fire due to the significant amount of combustible material inside.

The homeowner told Bend Fire crews the pipes had frozen inside the 1968 manufactured home, so he used a heat gun at the back of the house to try and thaw them. Heat conducted along a metal pipe and ignited combustibles inside. Flames spread quickly through the ceiling, to the roof.

The home was a total loss and the Red Cross is helping the three people who lived there. They did not have insurance.

Recent cold weathercaused several frozen water pipes throughout the area. Bend Fire & Rescue encourages everyone to take steps to prevent frozen domestic and fire sprinkler lines by ensuring buildings are adequately insulated, especially attic and crawlspace areas that could have very low temperatures. Insulating crawl space vents with foam blocks and turning off water to exterior spigots can also help. If pipes do freeze, gentle heat is best. Never use an open flame to thaw pipes. A hairdryer or portable space heater may be used, but ensure that the heater is suitable for indoor use and located well away from combustible materials. Also keep in mind that metal pipes conduct heat, so ensure that there are no combustibles on or near metal pipes. For more cold weather safety tips, click HERE.