The county shop off U.S. Highway 12 near Kiona Creek smolders. / Courtesy photo by Bill Serrahn
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Firefighters from six agencies battled a blaze last night that swept through a Lewis County road department shop in Glenoma.
Nobody was injured but the building was destroyed, according to Lewis County Fire District 18 Chief Ed Lowe.
“It’s going to be a total loss,” Lowe said.
Lowe was at the scene this morning with fire investigators looking into the cause.
“Two here now and more coming,” he said.
Crews called around 6:15 p.m. to the structure off U.S. Highway near near Bowen Road were joined by firefighters from Mossyrock, Morton, Mineral and Packwood, Lowe said. They were out there until after midnight, he said.
He estimated the metal-sided shop was about 150 feet by 30 feet.
“They lost some of their trucks, equipment, snow plows and such,” he said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I live a couple miles from there and they were real close to a good sized creek and it still took over 6 hours and 6 fire departments. Its a mess for sure but they are already workin on it and have brought in new office space.It is actually 5 miles west of Randle.
The problem with fires in rural areas is detection and response time. This one was in a metal building, compunding matters and requires a lot of water to effectively fight that type of fire, with no hydrants the water must either be trucked in or drafted from a nearby source.
Since it’s winter and road equipment was parked there, I’m betting on a block heater burning up or shorting out and starting the fire. I gave up trying to keep them on my tractor. Between vibration damage, consent heat and the elements they just seem like an accident waiting to happen.
Another Fire in Lewis County? I’m sure we hold a record in fire’s for the Population Ratio we have here in Lewis County.