WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Firefighters investigate that an accidental fire, which they suspect began on a stovetop, caused roughly $100,000 worth of damages and forced a highly populated apartment building to evacuate on Tuesday night.
According to the Walla Walla Fire Department, crews from Fire Stations 1 and 2 were sent to the apartments at 10 S Clinton St for reports of heavy, black smoke stemming from a second-story apartment around 6:31 p.m. PST on Tuesday, November 1.
Early indications suggested that it was a stove fire. When they first arrived at the scene, crews located the source of the smoke and began rushing to that area. At the same time, crews from Walla Walla County Fire District 4 and College Place Fire Department responded through a mutual aid agreement with the region’s other firefighting agencies.
When they arrived, people were already being evacuated from the Clinton Street Apartments. Firefighters went from floor to floor, making contact with residents and informing them of the evacuation.
Meanwhile, fire suppression efforts were taken inside the apartment. The flames were extinguished by 6:44 p.m., but crews remained on the scene for roughly an hour to assess the damage, investigate its cause and ensure that there wasn’t another flare-up.
Ultimately, the fire was contained in one apartment and they confirmed that it was an accident. However, that costly mistake consumed roughly $100,000 worth of damages.
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