Safety Stressed After String Of Building Fires, 2 Deaths In Wenatchee

A recent string of building fires in the Wenatchee area is raising awareness of fire danger. 

There were three building fires inside of a 13 hour stretch earlier this week in the city of Wenatchee. 

The Wenatchee Valley Fire Department says the number of building fires increases in the winter from causes like overloaded electrical systems and cigarette butts not being properly disposed of. 

Chief Brian Brett says building fires often present life-threatening conditions. 

"With our modern furnishings, within three-and-a-half to four minutes, the room of origin is going to have temperatures of 1,200 degrees at the ceiling, which even at the floor level makes that uninhabitable," said Brett. 

There have been two fire deaths in Wenatchee in the past two weeks. 

One involved a man found inside a semi-cab who was thought to be sleeping when it caught fire. 

He was discovered after the fire was extinguished in the back end of an industrial business on South Wenatchee Avenue. 

Then, overnight Wednesday morning, firefighters were not able to revive a 45-year-old Wenatchee woman who was in a mobile home in the 1300 block of North Wenatchee Avenue. 

Flames were coming out of the windows of the home when firefighters arrived on the scene. The victim was pronounced dead after she was moved outside. 

Chief Brett says there are ways to greatly improve your chances for survival when inside a home that's on fire. 

"We just want to remind people, have those working smoke detectors in bedrooms, hallways, everywhere in your house," Brett said. "Sleep with your doors closed. A hollow core door will buy you 20 minutes in a house fire. It'll keep that space tenable."  

Brett says the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department averages a building fires every 39 hours.