Moscow home destroyed by Sunday fire
Two cats died in fire as crews battled flames and rough weather conditions
A Moscow home was destroyed during an early Sunday morning fire where firefighters struggled to deal with the winter weather conditions.
Two cats died in the house fire on the 800 block of Conestoga Street, according to a news release from Moscow Fire Department Chief Brian Nickerson. A dog and another cat were rescued by firefighters. The dog was taken to the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for treatment.
The two adults and one child living in the home were able to escape in time after being alerted by their smoke detectors. One of them suffered minor smoke inhalation but declined to be transported to the hospital.
Firefighters were dispatched to the fire at 5:31 a.m. and saw heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building. The fire appears to have started in the basement near the furnace room and spread to the first floor. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, Nickerson stated.
Firefighters extinguished the fire while battling cold temperatures and slick conditions. While responding to the scene, a Moscow fire engine slid through an intersection and struck a small tree in a residential yard. There were no injuries and the engine sustained minimal damage.
The fire department removed the broken limbs and will be working with the owner of the property for any further damage to the yard once conditions improve, Nickerson stated.
It took just under 11 minutes for the first fire engine to arrive at the scene because of the bad road conditions. Nickerson told the Daily News on Monday the fire department’s average response time is six minutes.
The home is considered a total loss. The family is receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
