Walla Walla house fire likely caused by ashes from wood stove

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Firefighters believe that a structure fire on the 800-block of Dow Drive was sparked by improper disposal of ashes from a wood stove on Wednesday night.
According to an alert from the City of Walla Walla and its Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the residence around 10: 58 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Firefighters from Walla Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4 arrived first as part of a mutual aid agreement.
They observed flames on the exterior of a two-story residential home and quickly confirmed that all residents had evacuated the building by the time firefighters arrived.
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WWCFD No. 4 crews got to work and extinguished the flames within ten minutes of being dispatched. However, they investigated the fire and remained on the scene to confirm that the fire was out safely until 11:45 p.m.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities believe that the fire was caused by improper disposal of hot ashes from a wood stove.
WWFD offered the following tips on the proper disposal of hot ashes so that you can prevent similar incidents going forward:
- Allow ashes to cool before disposing of them.
- Always place ashes in a metal container.
- Keep the container at least 10 feet away from homes and other structures.
WWFD crews estimated the total loss of damages at $6,520 as a result of this incident.
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