Fire damages Kennewick apartment on Christmas Eve

A fire that damaged an apartment in Kennewick on Christmas Eve appears to have started near a baseboard heater in a bedroom, Kennewick fire officials said.

The cause still is being investigated, but foul play is not suspected, they said.

The fire broke out about 9:30 p.m. in an apartment at 99 N. Waverly.

After the building was evacuated, an elderly resident was believed to still be inside. But, the resident was found safe in a different building, officials said.

Two units were heavily damaged and a third had minor smoke exposure, the Kennewick firefighters said.

Benton Fire District 1, the Pasco Fire Department, Richland Fire Department, Benton PUD and Kennewick police all helped the Kennewick Fire Department with the incident.

“The Kennewick Fire Department reminds our citizens to keep combustible materials away from all heat sources such as baseboard heaters, as home heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires in the winter months,” the fire department said in a news release.

This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Fire damages Kennewick apartment on Christmas Eve."