Fire traps kids and parents on Kennewick balcony. They had to be lowered to safety

Fire investigators are working to figure out what sparked a two-alarm blaze at a Kennewick apartment complex early Friday that trapped a family on a balcony.

The dramatic fire broke out about 3:30 a.m. at the Cambridge Station Apartments at 211 S. Johnson St. The apartment complex with more than a dozen buildings is near Fourth Avenue.

Residents were alerted to the fire after tenants in one upstairs apartment heard a beeping noise outside, Fire Chief Chad Michael said. Someone looked out and smelled smoke.

Then, they started knocking on doors to alert others.

But one family ended up trapped on a second-story balcony because of the heat in the stairway, Michael said. Kennewick police officers helped the family of four lower a 9-month-old and a 4-year-old to the ground, and then helped their parents down.

Firefighters were able to douse the blaze within 17 minutes.

Firefighters initially believed someone else was still in the building, but didn’t find anyone else when they searched.

A total of nine to 10 people were in the apartments at the time, Kennewick firefighters said.

One woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, but didn’t need to be taken to the hospital.

The two apartments were destroyed, and the two on the other side of the four-plex had heat and smoke damage. It’s not clear at this point when people would be able to move back into the building.

The Red Cross helped find temporary housing for the people displaced.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, said officials.

This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 11:07 AM.