Fire damages building near Moses Lake

Posted: Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 - 04:06:19 pm PDT
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By Candice Boutilier
Herald assistant editor 

Candice Boutilier/Columbia Basin Herald Grant County Fire District 5 responded to an office building fire near Moses Lake. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

MOSES LAKE — Fireworks started a fire damaging an office building at the AAA Ready Mix Concrete plant off Valley Road in Moses Lake Sunday night.

Columbia Basin Herald media consultant Velma Dunkin was one of several people who reported the fire.

“We were driving home and someone threw a mortar (shell) out on to the road and it exploded in front of the car,” said Dunkin. “We flipped around ... and saw the fire ignited some weeds.”

Dunkin and her passengers say the firework was intentionally thrown at the car.

“They threw it like a grenade,” said Dunkin. “It was like driving through a galaxy ... there were blue, green and white lights.”

The fire spread from grass and weeds to an exterior wall of an office building, Grant County Fire District 5 Battalion Chief Rick Wentworth said. The fire continued into the interior of the wall and the attic.

Grant County Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Bruce Gribble confirmed the fire began with fireworks.

Firefighters remained at the scene for about four hours, Wentworth said. Equipment included engines, water tenders and an ambulance.

No injuries were reported.

The office building was being used but the contents in the building were salvaged.

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