Fire Damages Two Derelict Homes On Wenatchee’s Southside Early Wednesday

Two derelict homes on Wenatchee's southend have heavy damage following an early Wednesday fire.

The Wenatchee Valley Fire Department says the blazes occurred in the 900 block of South Mission Street in a heavily-trafficked area at the west side of the Senator George Sellar Bridge at around 6:55 a.m.

Crews reportedly arrived at the scene to discover heavy smoke and flames coming from the homes, one of which is a one-story dwelling and the other a story-and-a-half.

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Both structures have been abandoned for quite some time and are frequently used as shelter by transients according to Wenatchee Valley Fire Department Chief Brian Brett.

The houses presented a wealth of potential hazards for firefighters due to their age and poor structural condition, but crews were able to establish an attack on both and had the flames knocked down within 45 minutes.

Brett says the cause of the fires is still in question.

"They're under investigation. It's premature for me to say for sure what caused them but I did take a peek at the backside of the homes when I was at the scene and it looks like the fire might have started on the exterior under a tree and then went up the tree and into the homes, but it's still too early to tell exactly what caused it."

The blaze produced heavy smoke that impacted pedestrians and motorists in the area and caused emergency officials to close one of the three lanes at the Sellar Bridge's western approach.

No injuries were reported.