Chain-reaction fire in RV park spreads to 6 Benton City trailers
Two camp trailers were destroyed and four more damaged in a morning blaze at a Benton City RV park.
A driver accidentally started the fire in the crowded the Beach RV and Campground at 113 Abby Ave. just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
The woman in her 60s was pulling into her driveway when she hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and rammed into a neighbor’s trailer, said Benton County sheriff’s Cpl. Randy Loyd.
The crash started a fire in her car. She tried putting it out, but it soon spread to the trailer and then to others.
By the time firefighters arrived they found one camper engulfed and others threatened. In all, two trailers were destroyed and heat damaged the outside of four others.
No one was hurt in the fire but about seven people were displaced, and one cat is missing..
The crash was an accident, and the driver will not be cited, Loyd said.
The large column of smoke could be seen for miles.
Fire crews from Benton fire districts 2 and 4 and the city of Richland battled the blaze, said Lt. Mike Meyer, with Benton Fire District 2.
The RV park is just west of First Street in the main part of the Benton County community west of the Tri-Cities.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 9:47 AM.