Rathbone sales suffers heavy fire damage
The service department of Rathbone Sales in Moses Lake suffered extensive damage in a fire Saturday afternoon.
MOSES LAKE - Fire engulfed the back half of a Moses Lake business that specializes in dealing and servicing farm equipment.
On Saturday at about 11 a.m., Moses Lake Fire Department crews responded to Rathbone Sales on East Broadway Avenue, where they found heavy smoke billowing from the back end of the building, according to Brett Bastian, Moses Lake's assistant fire chief and fire marshal.
Bastian said it appears the fire was started by an electrical fault in a riding lawn mower that was in the shop to be serviced.
"At this point we've eliminated all other possible causes but that," he said; adding insurance investigators will continue looking into the fire's origin.
Business owner Todd Rathbone said Monday a wall separating the service bay from the showroom helped contain fire damage to the service bay, although some smoke did make it into the front of the store.
"The back half of the building is gone," he said.
Rathbone Sales has been in business since 1976, according to the company's website.