Three separate fires involving a vacant business, a car and heavy brush near the Yakima River – all within the span of four hours – meant a busy night for Yakima firefighters.
At one point, all 25 on-duty Yakima firefighters were out on the fires.
Two of the fires are considered suspicious, while the third was blamed on an abandoned campfire.
Firefighters said they were fortunate that the car fire did not spread to a nearby apartment complex.
The first fire was reported by multiple callers shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday at 1301 Cherry Ave.
Firefighters arrived to find a car fully engulfed in flames that were threatening other vehicles and an apartment, according to a news release issued this morning by the Yakima Fire Department.
However,firefighters quickly extinguished the fire before it spread, the release said.
A preliminary investigation indicated the fire started in garbage in an alley before spreading to the car, which was destroyed. Losses are estimated at $2,500.
“This fire could have had a much different outcome by spreading to the apartment complex where residents were sleeping,” said fire department spokesman Jeff Pfaff.