KENNEWICK, Wash. — A family in Kennewick has been left without a home after a fire left their house uninhabitable, according to a press release from the Kennewick Fire Department. Crews responded to the home on the 200 block of Vancouver St around 12:20 p.m. on February 24, the city’s second home fire in less than a day.
Within minutes, KFD crews were on scene. Smoke was reportedly coming out of the front door and one side of the house, according to the press release. They could also see flames coming from the back of the home.
Fire crews attacked the fire from the outside in order to bring down the flames before firefighters went inside. Then they used hoses to extinguish any remaining fire, according to the press release.
The house was checked to make sure no one was inside. Two people had been inside when the fire started, but they got outside before fire crews were on scene. The two people were an 18-year-old and a two-year-old girl. A small dog was found inside that had died from smoke inhalation, according to KFD.
The fire was under control within 23 minutes, according to the press release. A cause has not yet been determined and is under investigation. The damage left the house uninhabitable, so the family is reportedly working with the American Red Cross and their insurance company to work out a temporary solution.
“The Kennewick Fire Department would like to remind everyone to get out and stay out if a fire occurs,” said the press release. “Have an escape plan in place, and put the plan into action immediately if a fire starts. Due to the prevalence of synthetic materials inside of homes today, occupants only have approximately 2-3 minutes to escape.”
