Cheney, Washington – One Injured in Structure Fire That Spread to Trees

Cheney, Washington (June 21, 2019) – One person was injured in a fire that also destroyed three structures, a trailer, and a dozen trees on a property along Highway 904. The victim, a woman who owned the property, sustained burns while trying to the deal with the fire. She did not need hospitalization for her injuries. No other injuries were reported in the incident.

The fire started around 10:30 a.m.  on a property near Whispering Pines Ranch and South Koski Park Lane. The blaze originated from an outbuilding, which spread to another outbuilding and a trailer which had been turned into a woodworking shop. The fire also spread to nearby wildlands, causing the loss of a dozen trees and affecting an acre of area. Engines from Fire District 3, DNR and Fish and Wildlife were sent as a response to the incident. While the fire has been contained, crews are patrolling to make sure there were no more fire starts. Investigation on the fire is ongoing.

About Fire

The dangers of fire should never be underestimated. The US Fire Administration has recorded 15 home fire fatalities this year within Washington.  Statistics from the NFPA have recorded that cooking equipment were the leading cause of home structure fires, home fire injuries, as well as being the second leading case of home fire deaths. Additionally, smoking materials are the leading case of home fire deaths, though it isn’t always the case every year. Always handle fire with wariness and see to it that fires are always extinguished after use. Remember also to assess the area where fire is going to be used and see to it that complete fire safety is practiced at all times.

Aside from cooking equipment and smoking materials, electrical causes remain to be one of the top causes for home fires according to the NFPA. Their Electrical Fire Reports to the U.S Fire Department since 2000 estimates around 45,000 to 55,000 cases of home fires being caused by electrical malfunction every year. Annual losses due to electrical fire result in 455 civilian deaths, 1, 500 civilian injuries and 1.5 billion of dollars in direct property damage. From these statistics, the risk from electrical fire is very real and should not be underestimated. As for the accidents themselves, the NFPA lists 63 percent involved wiring and related equipment, 74 percent cited some sort of electrical failure or malfunction, and wire or cable insulation was the first item ignited in 32 percent of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires. From these cases, one must always review and identify potential fire hazards and fix them to avoid damages, injuries or deaths.

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