15 people displaced from Tri-Cities apartment complex. It started with a burning fence

Fifteen people have been displaced by a Kennewick Avenue apartment complex fire that burned two units Friday afternoon.

Also, firefighters responded to a debris fire that got out of control in Finley on Friday afternoon during windy weather.

The apartment complex fire was reported just after 3 p.m. at 6825 W. Kennewick Ave.

The Kennewick Fire Department arrived to find a fence burning close to the apartment complex and all residents safely out of the building.

The fire had spread into the building and two units were damaged. Firefighters also pulled down some of the ceiling in the complex to make sure that the fire was not burning in the attic.

Because electricity has been disconnected to the building, all residents were temporarily not able to live there. The American Red Cross is working with them to find places to stay and to help with meals.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Finley fire

The Finley debris fire was reported about 5:15 p.m. in the area of South Oak Street and East Bowles Road, according to Benton Fire District 1.

A property owner was piling weeds, branches and lumber from a field into several large piles when one of the piles caught fire.

He was unable to keep it from spreading and the wind was pushing the fire to the other slash piles within a half acre.

Five fire engines and three water tenders were called in, and the property owner used a tractor to help clear away some dry grasses nearby.

Benton Fire District 1 is reminding residents that the metal blades from a tractor or lawn mower can hit rocks to produce a spark that can start a fire.

This story was originally published April 1, 2023 at 12:16 PM.