Dramatic blaze guts Kennewick home leaves 3 without a place to live
.jpeg "A fire gutted a home on Fourth Avenue Wednesday evening leaving three people in a temporary shelter.")
A blaze gutted a Fourth Avenue home Wednesday evening leaving at least three people without a home.
The fire broke out shortly before 6:30 p.m. at 1006 E. Fourth Ave. in Kennewick. When firefighters arrived five minutes later they found a significant amount of fire and smoke coming from the first floor, and heavy smoke filling the second floor, Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael said in a release.
Kennewick firefighters were joined by Benton County Fire District 1 as they spent the next 45 minutes bringing the fire under control.
The fire spread quickly because sometime over the years a second roof had been added to the house, creating a void for the fire to travel through, said Michael.
The people living there were able to escape safely. One person was initially unaccounted for, but officials confirmed later the resident was not home at the time.
Smoke and fire left both floors substantially damaged, and no one will be able to live in the home.
The American Red Cross helped three residents find temporary shelter and other basic needs, said officials.
Fire crews stayed at the scene overnight to make sure the fire didn’t start again.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 11:08 AM.