A home in a cul de sac at East 16th Court and Nevada Street was a total loss to fire Wednesday evening, and the lone occupant escaped to safety.
A neighboring house, which was vacant, suffered damage as well and firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof and ceiling to vent it, said Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue Division Chief Rob Torrey.
The fire was called in at 6:24 p.m., and fire crews cleared before 11, he said. Some 20-25 fire personnel from area agencies responded, he said.
“The renter was home at the time,” Torrey said. “She had been doing some cooking in the kitchen and had, I believe, gone to change laundry loads in the garage and when she came back she had an active fire going, so I believe it started in the kitchen.”
He said it was the third kitchen fire this year, and the second involving cooking oil.