Columbia Basin Herald Online Newspaper

Local News - Moses Lake, WA - Grant County

Fireworks burn homes, vehicles

Posted: Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009 - 04:06:19 pm PDT
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By Bill Stevenson
Herald managing editor 
Candice Boutilier/Columbia Basin Herald
Two destroyed vehicles remain in the driveway of a home gutted by fire on Sunday.

MOSES LAKE — Fireworks are responsible for starting a fire, leading to the destruction of three homes and eight vehicles on Beale Avenue in Moses Lake early Sunday morning.

 “We had a report of fireworks from displays going off in the neighborhood,” said Grant County Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Bruce Gribble. “We figured a spark got into the bushes from that.”

The fire began in the brush outside of the first home. Gribble said the fire spread from the first home to the second, where it moved along a connected carport to start the third home on fire.

The investigation focused on the where the fire started, according to Gribble. The origin was a juniper bush near the first home. He said they spoke to residents and witnesses to help determine how it began.

“Looking at the fire scene, there was something that led me to believe something happened in those bushes,” said Gribble. “You focus on the point of origin. The other buildings were just victims of the fire ... It got into the attic of the house and spread quite quickly and jumped across to the home next door.”

As the fire burned, it destroyed eight vehicles. Initial reports indicated there was seven cars burnt, but after the fire was extinguished it became clear a car, van, SUV, motorcycles and a motorized trike were destroyed by fire, according to Barbara Maier, Grant County Fire District 5 public information officer.

The third home was originally listed as heavily damaged, but further inspection revealed it was a total loss, she said.

A total of 26 firefighters from Grant County Fire District 5 worked to combat the fire with help from Moses Lake Fire Department and Ephrata Fire Department. Grant County Fire District 4, in Warden, cover district 5 while firefighters were busy.

All three residences were occupied by families. There were no injuries. They were assisted by the American Red Cross, said Maier.

“District 5 did a good job,” Gribble added.


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John wrote on Jul 9, 2009 6:36 PM:

" This is so sad. Good people lost their homes for some peoples fun with fireworks. Thank God no one was hurt. "

hmmm wrote on Jul 9, 2009 8:54 AM:

" Wow! From reading the comments that people leave to these articles the past couple of weeks, it seem some of them (a lot of them) like to bash the police and fire dept. My solution to this would be if you don't like the way they do things, instead and complaining get your butt in the program, get qualified and go do it yourself! "

C-Money wrote on Jul 8, 2009 9:41 PM:

" Clueless, instead of complaining about the way things are, why dont you become a volunteer at a fire department and serve the community you live in to make it a safer place. I know recruitment is low nation wide. GCFD#5 has always done a great job with our community. They provide 24-7 ALS EMS responce without increasing taxes, while providing a level 5 fire rating to 550 sq miles. The internet has a lot of interesting info on local fire depts. Thanks Moses Lake, Ephrata, FD #4, FD#7, FD #13, FD #10/11 for being good neighbors to our community! "

there wrote on Jul 8, 2009 7:45 PM:

" when the district showed up on scene the first thing the incident commander did was tone out for MLFD and district 13 and ephrata and district 4 WITHIN THE FIRST TEN MIN!!!!! they call for mutual aide when needed and the city likewise when not needed they dont call for it. "

Willis wrote on Jul 8, 2009 7:00 PM:

" clueless, you have to remeber that GCFD#5 is a VOLUNTEER BASED fire department!!! If you look at numbers all around the basin they are low, Heck I was with FD 10 & 11 around Royal City, and we were luck if we would get 2 people to show up but yet they have about 40 people with both districts!!! Volunteer numbers are down all across this country because people dont want to get involed. And after they do get involed the damn government places soooo many requirements to be a volunteer, you loose them because it takes up to much of their time. I would say Grant 5 had all of there bases covered, and yes a few years ago GCFD5 & MLF had issues but guess what they are resolved, if you knew the back round you would understand why the HAD bad blood between them!!!!!!
GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED OUT, GCFD #13, #7, #4, and TO MOSES LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I miss thoses days :( "

clueless wrote on Jul 8, 2009 5:45 PM:

" hello everyone this is clueless.... i feel very bad for putting down the local fire district.... i think i have some pent up anger i need to take out but i am doing it in an innappropriate way by bashing the men and women of Grant County Fire District 5 i think i might just be disgruntled over something that happened to me......never the less i am sorry and i will keep my selfish and hatefull opinions to my self in the future..... thank you and please continue to hate me if you already do. "

Bob wrote on Jul 8, 2009 4:42 PM:

" I think the culprit who set off the firework just blogged... "It ain't my fault you didn't protect yer home from my fireworks." "

Comedian Jake Mendez Jr. wrote on Jul 8, 2009 4:27 PM:

" Well I think that these people should leave the damn water sprinkler on and as many as they can around their yard. None of this would have happen. Deet Dee Dee... -Comedian Jake Mendez Jr. "

Fed Up wrote on Jul 8, 2009 2:47 PM:

" CH I hear you! The state that some people's property is shocking on the base and it's not just tall grass and weeds alone. Just plain nasty. "

CH wrote on Jul 8, 2009 1:56 PM:

" I live on Beale and I have a pretty good idea who caused the fire...I have heard bottle rockets being shot nightly from a house on Beale. Sunday morning I found several bottle rockets in my yard. Maybe if people on the base would take care of their yard (ie..tall grass and weeds), fire danger would not be as bad. Why aren't the property oweners who know the 4th is bad not doing their part? "

RH wrote on Jul 8, 2009 10:26 AM:

" I live a few blocks away and several years ago on the 4th we had been in bed for hours when the neighbor came and woke us up because our bushes along the street were on fire. The neighbor said she heard a low mortar and soon after saw the orange glow. We figured some kids driving by shot one into the bushes. I can't help but wonder if this was a similar case... "

Pablo wrote on Jul 8, 2009 8:56 AM:

" Wow clueless, youre still living in the "olden days". While there isn't Auto Aid on every call, there has been a verbal mutual aid agreement made between the City and GCFD5. In fact a garage fire on I believe Oasis circle was initialy responded to by ... drum roll please... GCFD5. Several accidents at the corner of 17/ Nelson have also gotten mutual aid from the district. Not every medical call gets mutual aid as it typically is not necessary. However if a cardiac arrest were to be toned out across the street I am quite sure that the district would be paged to respond or at the very least requested by MLFD to respond. While the relationship may not be as perfect as a fairytale wedding, it's far better than just a few years ago I assure you. If youre so knowledgeable in the fire service and what should and shouldn't be, then you would also know that we are no different than departments all across this country. Personally I would be thankful that there is at least some sort of working relationship, rather than none at all. I know of places you will die on a street corner for lack of ANY mutual aid response. "

CH wrote on Jul 8, 2009 1:02 AM:

" I live a couple houses down from where the fire happened...Just a minute ago at 1 am I heard fireworks being shot off in the same area..Some people never learn! "

ALSO wrote on Jul 7, 2009 11:37 PM:

" Also we should thank Grant County Fire District 13 for bringing a truck up to the station on the base to cover GCFD5 while they were busy and thank you to Grant County Fire District 7 who showed up on scene too. "

clueless wrote on Jul 7, 2009 8:40 PM:

" Well they only called for mutual aid after exhausting many "tone-outs" for their own people. GCFD 5 is gambling with their members lives by continually failing to recognize the need for automatic mutual aid. Yesterdays article stated just 19 members on 8 vehicles from GCFD 5, today its up to 26 - stop making it like you have the numbers when you didn't.
This goes for ALL dept.'s in the Moses Lake area. It is sad that GCFD 5 main station is basically in the city but can not even respond to a house fire or medical emergency across the street because it is "city" property. God forbid if my loved ones needed emergency medical care and a capable paramedic unit sat across the street and was never alerted because of jurisdictional BS.

When is GCFD 5 going to learn to play with others? Will it take a death to WAKE up and realize it? "

JOJO wrote on Jul 7, 2009 5:44 PM:

" Well done fire department.

I guess it could have all been avoided if fireworks were banned county wide. Its a big crock that the city bans them only to have the firework stands set up on the city limits. I live just outside the city and do not like the fact that fireworks have tripled in use since the city ban. Why do they have to come to my street? "

Lori Watters wrote on Jul 7, 2009 4:35 PM:

" I want to say all the firefighters did a "Excellent Job" battling the blaze it appeared to be a large task and one department couldn't perform the task alone this was a great showing of mutal aid which this community needs. Thank you to Moses Lake Fire Dept, Epharta Fire Dept, Grant County Fire District 5, Grant County Fire District 4. "