House threatened during shop fire

Neighbors reportedly heard small explosions

MOSES LAKE - Christa Best was cuddling a puppy underneath her coat Friday morning, eight hours after she and her grandson had been awakened by a neighbor pounding on their door.

The neighbor saw the Bests' shop on fire.

About the time the Bests were leaving their home, flames reaching about 20 feet into the air were coming out of the shop's roof next door, Grant County Chief Deputy Jon Melvin said.

The early morning blaze reported at 1:17 a.m. destroyed the shop next to Best's home on Road M.2 Northeast near Moses Lake. Her car parked inside the shop was also destroyed.

The home was saved, but there was damage to the home's roof and exterior wall.

The cause of the fire was undetermined Friday and the investigation remains open, Melvin said.

Best and her grandson, Junior Dean Best, 11, were not injured during the blaze that was reported at 1:17 a.m.

Her son, Floyd Best Jr., 36, also lives at the home and indicated he was away at work during the fire, Melvin said.

Neighbors reported hearing a number of smaller explosions consistent with the sound of exploding paint cans and a couple of larger explosions of other items, Melvin said.

Melvin said the explosions were likely caused by flammable items in the shop that are typical to items in a mechanical repair shop.

A few minutes before Best spoke to the Columbia Basin Herald, she was sitting in her home, apparently waiting for the power to be turned back on.

Best said she lost all of her antiques from Germany in the fire.

"It's so sad," she said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation Friday morning by the Grant County Sheriff's Office and the Grant County Fire Marshal's Office.

The fire was fully involved when 21 firefighters and nine vehicles from Grant County Fire District No. 5 arrived at the home, said Leonard Johnson, a battalion chief with the fire district.

It took firefighters about an hour to get the fire completely under control and three hours to mop up the scene, he said.

Melvin said Friday afternoon he didn't expect the family would be able to immediately return to their home until electrical circuits were repaired.

Best was making other living arrangements and was planning to stay with her son's friends in the area Friday, Melvin said.