Arson suspected in North Whidbey Fire

A possible arson significantly damaged a North Whidbey home Friday morning.

No one was injured in the blaze.

North Whidbey Fire responded to a residential fire shortly around 10:15 a.m at a home on North Evergreen Street, according to Battalion Chief Chris Swiger. First responders arrived to find the top level of a three-story building ablaze, with flames coming out of two windows.

The four occupants had exited the house uninjured and reported that a woman had been acting erratically shortly before the fire started in a bedroom inside the residence.

The woman is one of the occupant’s sister, Swiger said.

The damage was isolated to the top floor of the home, Swiger said.

Firefighters from Oak Harbor Fire Department, Mount Erie Fire Department and the Navy provided mutual aid.

Swiger described the residence as a “hoarder house,” and said the excessive amount of items inside added fuel to the flames. It also will make the investigators’ job more difficult, he said Friday morning.

Oak Harbor Fire began investigating the cause Friday afternoon, but it wasn’t determined before press time.