Sunland Inn reports 3-alarm fire Tuesday

MOSES LAKE - A structure fire at the Sunland Inn in Moses Lake caused damage to a single room early Thursday morning.

The Moses Lake Fire Department responded to a three-alarm fire shortly after 3 a.m. at the hotel on Third Avenue. Firefighters were able to quickly put the fire out. One wall and a portion of the ceiling of the single room as well as bedding were damaged by the fire.

Fire Chief Tom Taylor said one person was treated for smoke inhalation. The person was attempting to stop the fire when crews arrived.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but Taylor said it appears to be accidental, possibly caused by someone smoking. Taylor also said the room did not have a functioning smoke detector and this is the second recent fire call in Moses Lake where the residence did not have a working smoke detector. The owner of the hotel could not be reached for comment.

On Jan. 17, firefighters responded to a fire on 936 S. Division St. where a man at the residence fell asleep with a lit cigarette next to his bed, according to Taylor. There were no working smoke detectors inside the residence and a neighbor made the emergency call.

"I think if we didn't pound on the door, he probably would've died," Taylor said.

Having no working smoke detectors in a home is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. Having a smoke detector can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by 50 percent, according to the association.