Cause undetermined in Soap Lake fire

Garage destroyed on Saturday

SOAP LAKE - The cause of a Saturday morning fire that destroyed a garage on Fourth Avenue in Soap Lake is undetermined.

The fire damage to the garage was extensive and it's been difficult for investigators to prove the blaze was caused by an electrical item, said deputy fire marshal Jerry Bessett of the Grant County Fire Marshal's Office.

But a homeowner inside the garage reportedly told investigators a fan was plugged in and placed in the area where the blaze apparently started, Bessett said. An extension cord was also reportedly draped over a box of Christmas decorations, he said.

When the homeowner first saw the fire, it was small, Bessett said.

Outside hoses were frozen by the weekend's cold weather, so the hoses couldn't be used to put the fire out.

A couple was believed to have been living in the home next to the garage, said Ephrata Fire Chief Jeremy Burns.

Radiant heat damaged the home and Burns said he wasn't sure if the couple was displaced by the fire. No injuries from the fire were reported.

Firefighters from the Soap Lake, Ephrata, and Grant County Fire District No. 7 and Grant County Fire District No. 13 responded to the fire.