The charred remnants of a house at the corner of Southwest Seventh Street and Southwest Hailey Avenue remain standing after the home was ravaged by a fire on the morning of Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

PENDLETON — A home that was being remodeled on Southwest Seventh Street and Hailey Avenue in Pendleton was destroyed in an early morning fire on Wednesday, July 15. 

Pendleton Fire Chief Jim Critchley confirmed that the house “was a loss” after firefighters responded to the scene shortly before 4:30 a.m. and extinguished the blaze. 

No injuries were reported and no individuals were living in the building at the time, though one cat was rescued at the scene, Critchley said. 

According to Critchley, the cause of the fire is under investigation but started in a wall in the home’s basement before rising up into the attic space. While the flames were initially knocked down, he said it was a challenge to get them completely extinguished. 

“It was a difficult fire to fight because it wasn’t in the living spaces,” Critchley said. “Trying to get it out with the resources we had were difficult.” 

East Umatilla Fire & Rescue and the Pilot Rock Fire Department also responded to assist the Pendleton Fire Department on the scene, Critchley said.