News brief: Chehalis house burns

Updated 7 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A two-story house destroyed by fire in Chehalis today may have ignited from a burning candle.

Firefighters were called out just before 1 p.m. to Northeast North Street in between Market and Washington.

Smoke and flames were coming from a window of the wood-frame home; the resident had been outside about 20 minutes when it started, Acting Capt. Pat Gilligan said.

The woman who lived there suffered smoke inhalation, and was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital to be checked out.

“I think that’s why she went back in, to get her pets out,” Gilligan said. “I saw a couple of dogs.”

Gilligan estimated 25 to 30 firefighters were on the scene, coming from Chehalis, Centralia, Lewis County Fire District 6 and Rochester.

It took some time to chase the flames around inside the walls and attic, according to Gilligan.

“The way it was built, it had a bunch of nooks and crannies and false ceilings,” he said.

Gilligan said the home and contents are probably a total loss.

The cause is under investigation, Gilligan said, but it was possibly related to a candle.

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