Pasco, Washington – Multiple People Displaced After Fire Damages Several Apartment Units

Pasco, Washington (January 17, 2020) – A fire broke out in the Stonegate Apartments on the 6102 block of North Road 68 on early Friday morning. According to the report from KEPR News, there were no injuries associated with the fire, but one resident had to be taken to the hospital for treatment of medical issues that had been aggravated by the cold while standing outside. While only three units were reported to have been damaged, the fire still caused people from a total of nine units to be displaced.

The fire broke out around 1:21 a.m. Smoke alarms within the building were able to warn the residents about the fire. Crews from the Pasco Fire Department, with assistance from Richland Fire and Franklin County Fire District 3 responded to the incident. The cause of the fire has not been reported.

About Fire

The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration reported that 41 home fire fatalities were reported in 2018 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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