Update: 8 lose their home and several pets die in destructive Kennewick fire
A fire that destroyed a manufactured home sent a plume of smoke billowing near the Tri-Tech Skills Center in Kennewick on Monday.
Kennewick firefighters were called to the blaze at 5605 W. Metaline St. about 1:30 p.m.
Responding police and firefighters reported that a manufactured home was engulfed in flames, according to dispatch reports. Firefighters were told the fire was well involved and occupants might be trying to get back inside, Fire Chief Chad Michael said Tuesday in a news release.
Michael said they were on scene within two minutes because crews were already nearby at a small fire at the Benton County Justice Center.
Several pets died in the blaze and a total of eight people were displaced from being able to live there, Michael told the Herald.
A GoFundMe has been created for the Lepoidevin family. The residents were three generations of a family, including five adults and three children, according to organizer Michelle Davis.
“They are a very kind loving family that has been through a lot in the past eight years, they can’t seem to catch a break,” she said. “The have nothing left. Red Cross and a local church are helping them right now with a hotel.”
Donations can be made at bit.ly/MetalineFire.
One woman was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene because she went inside to try and unsuccessfully rescue some pets, but she did not need to be hospitalized, Michael said.
Firefighters reported there were several propane and acetylene canisters at the home. Some of them had burst in the heat.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Kennewick firefighters received help from Pasco and Richland fire departments, as well as Benton County Fire District 1.
Benton County jail fire
Employees were forced to evacuate the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick after a small fire broke out on the roof.
Michael said the fire was contained to the Justice Center and did not impact the adjacent jail.
Jail employees noticed a burning smell, and when firefighters responded and were taken to the generator room they spotted the glow of fire near the roofline at an exhaust pipe.
Michael said some decking over a ventilation pipe overheated and sparked the blaze after an emergency backup generator run for several hours earlier in the day.
Crews then got on top of the building and pulled roofing back to find the wood roofing on fire.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported that the building was evacuated while firefighters worked on investigating the fire. No inmates needed to be evacuated.
No one was hurt, the sheriff’s office reported.
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Update: 8 lose their home and several pets die in destructive Kennewick fire."