At approximately midnight, when wednesday turned into Thursday, October 29, 2020 a house went up in total flames in the Northeast yakima neighborhood.
At least 4 fire trucks arrived on scene to tackle the flames and put out the fire. One fire truck it would appear came in from Kittitas County. In my wildest imagination, I would have never thought a fire truck from Ellensburg would be needed to fight a single home property house fire, but that was indeed the case tonight. By the time I arrived on scene, however, one fire engine was returning to its station. A second fire engine departed at the same time of my departure leaving, two remaining trucks on scene. You could also se
On approach to the location one could easily smell the scent of burning in the air, like a midnight barbecue gone wrong, from as far as a block away. Easily, the whole square block was covered with a pool of water along the curbside.
According to an eyewitness, the fire started in the front of the two story building. In the living room location, and spread like wildfire from there quite literally and engulfed the whole house. Fortunately, all 4 of the residents were able to evacuate and make it outside to safety. Sadly, they watched hopelessly, as the house was burning up, and the reality set in, that most, if not all of their worldly possessions, were used as kindling by the flaming inferno.
During the warmth of the blaze, one could easily feel the heat of house turned fire pit, warming a body at a distance 50 – 100 ft. There were also a live if 7 to 10 oxygen tanks laid out by firefighters. It is unknown, whether, they used up their oxygen in rescue or if they had just taken them of to lighten their workload. The front of the house had some personal property tossed about, which I guess crews removed to diminish flames.
It appears crews were fight the fire for a good two to three hours. One resident said you could really hear the building [snap, crackle, and pop] when the fuse box went up in flames. As of this moment the cause of the fire is unknown.
The Red Cross was on scene to help alleviate the issue of the residents. On person, whom is now homeless, states he only had enough time to think to grab his phone. His wallet, identification, and contents within, most likely turned to charred ash. The man told, he was given a sizable amount of money by any means by the red cross for temporary housing and personal supplies (as were given to the other residents). Sadly, as grateful as he was that money would only be enough for 3 to 5 nights in a hotel.
So in reality, it might that the housing situation of these four individuals is precarious at best. And, they will probably still need help meeting some needs or struggle to find an adequate long term housing solution in the short run.
Personally, I have a gripe with the response to contend with. I cannot understand why there is not a more stable short-term housing availability to meet the needs of any and all residents to have housing in an emergency situation such as this one. But, I guess, that is the the life of the times that we live in. Logically, using a low-income housing unit or two would be all that is necessary to meet the current need. However, because of whatever criteria is necessary to be low income housing eligible, these people will continue to be homeless while vacant units exist within the Yakima Valley community. Yet, we will continue to live in a society, that has laws, which are logically useless, and constrain people in difficult situations, from getting help or services they need.