Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
12 students lose homes, student rescues cat
PULLMAN - Fire destroyed a home on Maple Street in Pullman and shed embers to set another house on fire on Aug. 8.
"Firefighters said the winds were gusting up to 30 miles per hour at the time and carried embers from Maple Street to more than a block away igniting the cedar shake shingles on a three-story home at 400 NE Howard Street," said Pullman Fire Department Public Information Officer Glenn Johnson.
Embers started a wildland fire causing half an acre of a hillside on North Grand Avenue to burn. One firefighter was injured while fighting the fire on the hillside, said Johnson.
A tree caught fire near the Maple Street home and spread to the house's deck. The cause of the tree fire is under investigation.
The house was converted into living space for six Washington State University (WSU) students.
Embers blown onto the Howard Street house moved from the roof to the attic.
WSU student Ian Neveu helped women pledging to the Kappa Delta sorority rescue a cat from a fire that destroyed the home for six students.
Neveu is trying out for WSU Cougar football and has experience fighting wildfires in California. He worked with student Cooper Ray and Fire Marshal Chris Wehrung to wet the house with a garden hose before it became engulfed in fire.
"Firefighters said they were grateful for the help from the neighbors in the area who were seen with their garden hoses watering down their homes and yards to stop any further spread of this fire," said Johnson.
WSU student housing office is addressing the needs of the students.
Firefighters from Pullman Fire Department, Whitman County Rural District 12, and Moscow Volunteer Fire Department worked to extinguish the fires.
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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