Ritzville crews respond to structure fire

The Ritzville Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the 500 block of East Fourth Avenue on Sunday, Jan. 22.

Ritzville Fire Chief Bill Banner reported the department received a call from dispatch at 6:41 p.m. stating the caller saw smoke and flames were visible from a fire in the attic of the home.

The department quickly responded to the call with 15 members on the city’s ladder and engine trucks, the county rescue and two county engines.

Banner stated they quickly located the fire in the attic and firefighters entered through the crawl space and kept the blaze contained with 2.5 gallon water extinguishers.

Crews within the home removed the occupants personal belongings from under the area, laid tarps and pulled ceilings in order to access and extinguish the blaze.

Banner reported the immense efforts of the crew resulted in no loss of personal property and minimal dirt damage to carpeting in the home.

Banner stated the home suffered approximately $20,000 in damage from the fire consisting of burnt wiring, two damaged wood trusses, sheetrock damage accessing the fire and a loss of blown insulation.

No civilians or firefighters were reported injured during the fire. The department lost three tarps from fire damage protecting the floor underneath the attic.

Banner reported the duration of the call totaled three hours and the home is not inhabitable from the fire damage.

The cause of the fire is suspected to have been an electrical issue.