Oxford House fire cause unknown
Mar. 21—The cause of the Sunday morning fire that seriously damaged a sober group living home in Moscow is still under investigation
The Moscow Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire at the Oxford House at 2:20 a.m. Sunday on Bitterroot Street and found flames in the front of the building extending to the roof.
The Pullman Fire Department assisted with the fire suppression efforts and no other homes were damaged. The right side of the Oxford House was destroyed and the building remained taped off Monday.
Moscow Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Nickerson informed the Daily News that they hope to know more information about the cause of the fire this week as they investigate.
The Latah Recovery Center in Moscow owns the Oxford House. LRC Director Darrell Keim said that while he is unhappy about the house being damaged, he was "ecstatic that nobody was hurt."
"And we'll just take things as they come and rebuild the house," he said.
He said American Red Cross is assisting the seven residents with their living situation in the short-term. The Latah Recovery Center is also working with the national Oxford House organization to find them a home to stay.
Keim said his staff contacted Goodwill, which sold the residents supplies at a cheap price.
Keim said he does not want to speculate on the cause of the fire. He also knows that what happens next with the investigation, the insurance and the future of the house will require patience.
"I keep saying this to everybody, it's just going to be a process," he said. "It's going to move at its own pace."
The house opened in July with the help of $200,000 in grant funding from Latah County. It is intended to house men in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions.
The Oxford Houses are run by residents who vote for leadership roles. Each house must follow the guidelines set by the Oxford House World Council to be part of the organization. Members have to fill out an application and be voted on by other residents to be accepted. Each house also creates its own set of rules. Members can be voted out if they are found with drugs or are suspected of using drugs.
According to previous reporting by the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, people convicted of arson and sex offenses are routinely denied from living in Oxford Houses.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
