Emumclaw, Washington – Two Book Kiosks Burn Down, Under Investigation as Arson

Emumclaw, Washington (June 25-26, 2019) – Two neighborhood “little libraries” or book kiosks were destroyed in fires suspected to be arson on late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. The book kiosks are located on the 1260 block of Marion Street and 2048 block of Fell Street, roughly half-a-mile apart. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, but the book kiosk fire on  Marion Street also damaged a nearby fence.

The book kiosk on Marion Street was the first to be reported to be on fire, with personnel from Emumclaw Fire Department being dispatched around 11:45 p.m Tuesday. A neighbor living on Marion Street was able to mostly extinguish the fire on the affected fence before crews arrived. The kiosk on Fell Street was responded to around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. No persons of interest have yet been found, but police have stated that there is reason to believe that the events were connected.

About Fire

It is fortunate that no one was injured in this particular case. While the fire in this case has been ruled as intentionally set, it is always good to remember fire safety reminders, which can also help prevent arson. Most if not all the steps in fire safety involve securing the area of one’s business or residence. It is also important to make sure that possible combustible materials are discarded properly or at the very least kept away from buildings. They also urge owners of buildings to review fire safety and make sure that an escape plan is formulated in case of fire.

Much like fire safety in other types of buildings, there are different factors which can add or detract the risk of a fire breaking out. The structure and materials that a building is made out of should be assessed for fire safety before construction. It is also advised that all buildings should be equipped with proper fire suppression tools and detection devices such as fire alarms and smoke alarms. Taking these simple steps should help prevent or lessen the risk of fire. Like with all accidents, the effects of fire are dreadful, including property damage and loss as well as injuries or even fatalities. Fire safety is then not only consideration for one’s self, but also consideration for others.

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