01-28-2011 

 At 2:25 a.m., Sweet Home Fire & Ambulance District responded to a structure fire located at 2435 Main Street.  Upon arrival at the Sweet Home Lanes (Bowling Alley),  two occupants living in an upstairs apartment were found on a side roof and brought to safety by Lt. Harris, Lt. Calderwood and firefighter Barnes using ground ladders.  It was reported that the occupants had cuts from window glass that was broken during their escape.  Mutual aid was requested and received from Lebanon Fire District and Brownsville Fire Department.  As of 7:00 a.m. this morning, firefighters are on still on scene putting out hot spots and the investigation into the cause will not begin until later in the day.  The building is reported as a total loss.  

Update:  02-01-2011

The cause of the early morning fire "was of undetermined origin" but not of a suspicious nature, according to Fire Chief Mike Beaver.  Members of the Linn-Benton Fire Investigation team spent Saturday going over the destroyed remains. The building was built in 1995 with a value of $360,000.  The owners of the building lost all of their belongings except the clothes they were wearing.   The Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce, located at 1575 Main Street , is involved with collection of household and clothing items.  For more information, contact the Chamber office at 367-6186.