Rosalia volunteers halt Brass Rail, Thornton fires

Rosalia

Rosalia Fire Department responded to two fires Sunday and managed to douse the blazes in time to halt extensive damage.

An early morning fire damaged the front of the Brass Rail Tavern. Chief Bill Tensfeld said the driver of a Spokesman Review delivery truck noticed smoke in front of the tavern when he made a delivery at about 3 a.m. and called 911.

The fire started in one of the flower boxes which were loaded with peat moss. It spread to plywood siding on the front of the building, but volunteers were able to arrive in time to contain the damage.

“Another 10 or so minutes and the tavern could have been gone,” Tensfeld noted. Cigarettes left by smokers outside the building were suspected of igniting the dry peat.

At about 9 a.m. Sunday, Rosalia fire crews were enroute to a controlled training burn at Sunset when they received a call of a fire on the porch of a residence at Thornton. A crew was actually going past the scene when an occupant of the house was making a 911 call to report the fire, Tensfeld said.

Other crews soon arrived at the scene to save the house. Cause of the fire was believed to be a generator which had been operating on the porch.

Rosalia Dollars for Scholars plans their annual crab feed and auction March 9 beginning at 6 p.m. in the old gym at Rosalia High. The event is the main fundraiser for the group which provides scholarships for Rosalia graduates. Their aim is to provide support for all Rosalia graduates who plan to continue with their education, according to Roy Dube, chairman. Silent auction items will be on display on tables in the gym and bidding rounds will begin at about 7:30 p.m.

Josh Bryan plans a St. Patrick’s Day party with karaoke and dancing March 17 at the Fairlane which is now operating Thursday through Sunday at the former Rose Bowl building.

Rosalia grade school kicked off Read Across America week Monday with the Whitman County Library’s Reading Bear and staff. Read Across America is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on Dr. Seuss’s birthday.