Ephrata home fire was arson

EPHRATA - The fire destroying an Ephrata mobile home in the early hours of Jan. 7 was ruled arson, according to the Grant County Fire Marshal's Office.

The double-wide mobile home, located at Wagon Wheel Mobile Home Park in the 17000 block of Road "A" Northwest, was completely demolished in the blaze with initial damage estimates set at $40,000.

Deputy Fire Marshal Jerry Bessett said Wednesday details of the arson have not been completely determined. Results of their investigation were turned over to the Grant County Sheriff's Office recently, Bessett said.

Chief Deputy John Turley said today they are investigating.

No injuries were immediately reported as a result of the fire, said Grant County Fire District 13 Chief Shane Heston. Heston said the homeowner, Julie Welsh, was not inside when the blaze started, but some of her belongings remained in the mobile home as it burned. She was reportedly in the process of moving out of the home.

In an interview with the Columbia Basin Herald earlier this month, Welsh said the fire was "pretty devastating" and she felt "angry because it happened." She said her family photos and children's Christmas presents were burned.

She added at the time, "I guess I'm really disappointed because I've not had one person in this entire community call and say, 'Do you need anything? Are you OK? Can I do anything for you?' That's just my heart."

Welsh did not return phone calls seeking comment for this story.

Twenty firefighters from the district and the Ephrata Fire Department were on the scene for two hours, Heston said.

Crews kept flames from engulfing neighbor Greg Frederick's residence, whose carport was completely destroyed and rain gutters damaged.

Frederick, a nine-year resident of the park, declined to comment Wednesday. "I'm afraid my home would be burned," he said.