Occupants of seven units of a motel in Union Gap were displaced today, Tuesday, June 29th, due to a structure fire.
Yakima Fire Department (YFD) firefighters were called to the Sunset Motel, 3401 Main Street, at 9:50 am today. Upon arrival they found a heavily-involved attic fire that affected all seven units of one building.
Firefighters confirmed all occupants had evacuated the building. One occupant experienced a cardiac event after the evacuation and was transported to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.
The Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the estimated 15 to 20 people displaced from the seven units.
Firefighters contained the fire to the inside of the seven-unit building. However, it is considered a total loss due to the extent of damages. The estimated dollar loss is $300,000.
The cause of the fire was a discarded cigarette. YFD reminds community members to please make sure to discard cigarettes safely and appropriately, particularly during this dry summer heat.
YFD crews were on scene for nearly three hours. A total of 16 firefighters responded to the blaze.