Explosions, fire destroy old potato storage building
Smoke billows from a fire Wednesday afternoon at an old potato storage building on Road O Northeast in Moses Lake.
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald
An unknown ignition caused several explosions and the total loss of a building Wednesday afternoon on Road O Northeast, officials said.
Three people inside an old potato storage building, now used for other storage, heard explosions and went outside, according to Moses Lake Fire Department Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Derek Beach.
The MLFD, Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office, Grant County fire districts 5 and 4, and Grant County Sheriff’s Office responded at 12:58 p.m., Beach said. He also said he didn’t know the address, except it was on Road O Northeast.
Firefighters had the blaze under control at about 2:20 p.m. and were mopping up.
“We’re going to be here a while,” he added.
There were no injuries, he said, but the building was a total loss. He said he didn’t know who owned the structure or the cause. However, there were several propane tanks and tires inside, which were flammable, he said.
The initial report was for a wildland fire on Wheeler Road, he said, but those first on the scene saw it was not and actually was in GCFD 5’s territory; however, other agencies responded.
Additionally, northbound Road O Northeast was closed several hours south of Wheeler Road due to the fire.