10 apartments evacuated after Kennewick attic fire

Families in 10 apartments were evacuated Monday night after smoke started coming from the eves of a two-story building at the Lakeside Apartments in Kennewick.

Firefighters found an attic fire in the H building when they were called about 7:45 p.m. to the complex at Clearwater Avenue and Edison Street.

“The fire was quickly contained and extinguished, with personal property protected by an aggressive salvage operation,” said Battalion Chief Kevin Crowley.

They were helped by crews from the Pasco and Richland fire departments, Benton Fire District 1 and Kennewick PUD.

Two units were damaged but the power needed to be shut off and the residents could not stay in the building.

All but two families found friends or relatives to stay with and the Red Cross helped the others, said Crowley.

The cause remains under investigation, though initial findings suggest it was an electrical issue.

Kennewick fire officials wremind people to routinely change smoke detector batteries to ensure early detection of hazardous conditions.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 11:05 AM with the headline "10 apartments evacuated after Kennewick attic fire."