Yakima Fire Department (YFD) crews responded to five fires – two trash and three structure fires – in a span of about five hours last weekend. The fires caused a combined $275,000 in estimated damages. No injuries were reported.
The largest was a commercial structure fire in the 1300 block of West Lincoln Avenue that caused an estimated $200,000 in damages. YFD was called to the scene at 1:45 am Sunday, April 24th. First-arriving crews assisted four people out of the connected structure with the help of Yakima Police Department (YPD) officers. YPD also assisted with traffic control.
Firefighters transitioned to a defensive strategy due to the fire’s growth. It burned through power lines, which dropped and were arcing on the building.
A full structural collapse occurred on one side of the building. The roof collapsed into the building almost all the way throughout the structure. Crews were on site for almost four hours for overhaul of the fire scene. A total of 22 firefighters responded. The cause is under investigation.
The City of Yakima Street Division was called for clean-up of the nearby intersection.
Additional structure fires over the weekend included:
- A detached garage in the 200 block of South 10th Street. YFD was called to the scene at 9:30 pm on Saturday, April 23rd. Crews quickly controlled the fire involving a small detached garage that was a shared unit between two houses. Damages are estimated at $50,000, with half of the garage unit destroyed and its contents a total loss. The cause is under investigation. Sixteen firefighters responded.
- A detached garage in the 700 block of North 3rd Street. YFD was called at 2:45 am Sunday, April 24th. Firefighters quickly gained control and moved into the overhaul phase. Loss is estimated at $25,000. The cause is unknown. Sixteen firefighters responded.
The East Valley, Gleed, West Valley and Yakima Training Center fire departments assisted YFD during the series of fires last weekend.