Father and son lose business to fire

Cause is under investigation

MOSES LAKE - A fire ripped through a Moses Lake business, destroying everything inside a few minutes after midnight Tuesday.

Grant County Fire District No. 5 responded to the fire at Don's Custom Upholstery on 22nd Avenue on the outskirts of Moses Lake.

The fire appeared to begin in the center of the business space where the upholstery business is located, Battalion Chief Rick Wentworth said. Two other storage facilities used by separate businesses sustained smoke damage.

"I was asleep when they told me. They came to my house," upholstery business owner Don Blasdel said. "It made me sick."

He lost thousands of dollars worth of materials and equipment. A customer's vehicle, he was planning to reupholster, was parked in the building and destroyed by the fire. Blasdel said he has insurance to cover the loss and is considering relocating somewhere else in Moses Lake.

He and his son Dave managed the business in the same location for 29 years, he said. They worked to upholster commercial and private furniture, and vehicles. He established the business in Moses Lake 42 years ago.

The business phone line is temporarily out of service due to the fire. Customers can reach Blasdel at 509-750-9727 until the business line is re-established.

Wentworth said the cause of the fire is unknown. It is being investigated by the Grant County Fire Marshall's Office.

It took about one hour to gain complete control of the fire, he said. Firefighters remained at the scene until late morning soaking smoldering spots.

"There was a lot of upholstery materials and tools," Wentworth said. "The building was full of a lot of stuff."

No one was inside the building at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported, he said.