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Oil leak caused fire Photo by Bob Pennell Medford firefighters clean up after a fire gutted a house on Stewart Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Age of house added to its combustibility By JESSICA SMITH A faulty fuel line that leaked oil onto the floors of a west Medford home led to a fire there Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Debi Bisbee, a Medford Fire Department inspector, said the blaze was ignited by the furnace that was connected to the damaged fuel line. Although the renter of the house noticed smoke coming from the furnace shortly after 1 p.m., she didn't call the fire department until she saw flames, about 40 minutes later. "It (the fire) had time to get cookin' and it also had plenty of fuel," Bisbee said. Cecilia Velazquez, 21, rented the home at 1557 Stewart Ave. from a Medford couple. She said she left the house sometime Wednesday morning and returned about 1 p.m. to insulate the windows. She soon saw smoke coming from the furnace. Velazquez said she called the owners of the home and was advised to turn the furnace off. She did so and the room began filling with black smoke. Firefighters were called at 1:43 p.m. when Velazquez noticed flames. Crews arrived two minutes later to find the first floor of the home ablaze. No one was injured. Five Medford engines and 20 firefighters responded. The fire was under control in 24 minutes but officials said the construction of the 100-year-old house was cause for concern. "We thought we just might lose the whole house," Battalion Chief Kurt Bennett said. "Fire in these types of structures can be extreme." Bennett said the home was built without fire stops in its walls and there were several spaces where fire could hide and travel. A stairwell leading to the home's second story was boarded up and firefighters had to break down the barrier to gain access to the rest of the burning home. Only the first floor of the home was inhabited. Firefighters were able to salvage some furnishings and clothing. Bennett said he estimated damage to the house and its contents at $34,000. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA