2-alarm fire ignites at notorious Richland ‘junkyard’ house
A two-alarm fire has erupted at a notorious Richland “junkyard” house.
Fire crews were called about 2:30 p.m. Thursday to reports of a blaze at 2100 Pullen St.
Video from the scene, posted by a local social media group, shows a cloud of smoke billowing near the front of the home. It‘s unclear if the house itself is on fire or the mountains of debris surrounding it.
Richland Fire Chief Randy Aust said when crews arrived they found a significant structure fire and Richland police began evacuating nearby residents, securing the scene and ensuring the safety of the area around the property.
“The current situation of the home really dictated a defensive posture, we couldn’t get into the home,” he said.
Crews have the area blocked off for two blocks around the property, and had to dig up a gas line to turn it off because they couldn’t get to the home’s shutoff valve.
The cause has not been determined, but remains under investigation
Aust said their focus is on suppression and protecting neighboring properties. He expects crews to be on scene overnight.
No injuries have been reported.
The home has been at the center of a legal battle between the city and then property owner, Taylor Knipp.
Fire marshals have previously called the massive buildup of junk at the property a “clear and present danger” to residents and to the public.
“I can’t say I’m sorry,” said a neighbor who has been frustrated by the sea of garbage that engulfs the property.
On Tuesday the Richland City Council increased a contract with a vendor to keep the street and sidewalks clear, doubling it to $200,000.
Court battle over cleanup
Richland city officials have been pressing Knipp and his estranged wife, Jacqueline, to clear the property since 2024 as debris overwhelmed the site and spilled onto the city-owned public sidewalk and street.
In December, the city brought in a contractor to remove material from the right-of-way, but not the private property.
The city moved to act after citing the owners for violating nuisance codes three times, starting in mid-2024. At least two deadlines to clear the property passed with no action last year.
Last September, Richland sued in Benton County Superior Court, a key step toward taking control of the situation while respecting the owners’ constitutional rights against unreasonable search and seizure.
It asked a judge to declare a nuisance and issue a warrant of abatement that would let it step in to clear out the mess and recover the cost by filing a lien against the property.
At a brief court hearing Jan. 2, the city said it was temporarily not pursuing the warrant that would allow it to clean it up after learning that Taylor Knipp was seeking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act as he worked to bring the property into compliance.
Court records show in February the Knipps divorced, and the property was awarded to Jacqueline (Knipp) Bond. It’s unclear if he’s still living on the property.
The city indicated in January it reserved the chance to proceed with the case in the future. The case is tentatively scheduled for a non-jury trial on Aug. 31.
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 3:22 PM.