Soap Lake man loses home to fire
A fire destroyed a Soap Lake man's home Thursday afternoon. Photo by Candice Boutilier/Columbia Basin Herald
SOAP LAKE — A faulty space heater, left unattended, started a fire in a Soap Lake man’s home, turning it into rubble on Road 19 Thursday.
It appears the man left for work and forgot to turn off the space heater, Grant County Fire District 7 Chief Kirk Sheppard said.
There were no injuries.
When firefighters arrived, they saw a fully engulfed fifth wheel trailer on fire with numerous nearby structures being threatened, according to emergency dispatch.
The fire spread to a camper and gutted both structures.
Firefighters managed to save a trailer, located a few feet away from the blaze, from damage, he said.
The crew extinguished the bulk of the flames within roughly eight minutes. They remained at the scene digging through the charred home exposing hot spots and spraying them with water to ensure the fire did not restart.
Sheppard said although the man lost his home, he did not believe he would be displaced. He said it appeared the man may be employed through the property owner who will help him find other arraignments.