Parole & Probation officer dead after explosion in home
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WINSTON, Ore. -- The Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office has confirmed that Devin Inge, 42, is dead after his house reportedly went up in flames after an explosion was heard by neighbors Saturday morning at 6910 Upper Olalla Road east of Winston.
Inge was a Parole and Probation Officer for Douglas County.
At about 10:30 a.m., neighbors heard a loud explosion coming from the home. When they went to investigate the sound, they saw that the house was completely engulfed in flames and a large cloud of smoke was billowing from the home.
A neighbor told KPIC News that he thought a propane tank exploded.
According to Chris Lyman, the Deputy State Fire Marshal, Inge was working with gunpowder or explosives in his living room. The ignition source was reported to possibly be static electricity.
The explosion has been ruled accidental.
It took firefighters over an hour to finally get the blaze under control, but by then the fire had been raging for too long, and the home was a total loss.
Inge was the only person home at the time of the fire.
The Tenmile Fire Department, Winston-Dillard Fire Department and Camas Valley Fire Department all fought the fire.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Department is still investigating the case, and the fire marshal's office says they will be continuing the investigation as well.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Inge started out with the Lincoln City Police Department in 1989 and then moved to Douglas County in 1991, where he took a position with the Roseburg Police.
Inge moved to the Parole and Probation Department in 1997, where he worked until his passing.
A trust fund has been set up by the Parole and Probation department for donations to the family. The donations can be made at any Umpqua Bank for the Family of Devin Inge.
