‘Extreme damage’ reported after suspected kitchen fire at Bellingham home

Investigators suspect a cooking fire ignited a blaze that destroyed a Bellingham home Jan. 15.

Fire crews were dispatched at 5:35 a.m. to the 3700 block of Lemon Grove Drive, according to Bellingham Fire Captain Dustin Michaelis.

The first crews arrived at 5:44 a.m. and reported heavy fire coming from all sides of the building on multiple floors, Michaelis said.

“Ultimately, there was extreme damage to the building,” Michaelis told The Bellingham Herald.

The home’s resident was outside when fire crews arrived and told authorities there were no other people or animals inside the building. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters extinguished the flames and prevented it from spreading to nearby houses, according to Michaelis. Responders cleared the scene around 9:36 a.m.

This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 2:34 PM.

Jack Belcher

The Bellingham Herald

360-715-2206

Jack Belcher covers transportation and recreation for The Bellingham Herald. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in digital journalism in 2020 and joined the staff in September 2022. Belcher resides in Bellingham.