Fire on College Hill in Pullman displaces family of six

A family of six was displaced from its home on College Hill in Pullman after a grass fire damaged two duplexes Monday afternoon, according to a release from the Pullman Fire Department.

Firefighters received a report of a grass fire that was threatening several buildings at the intersection of Northeast Hillside Drive and Northeast Wheatland Drive at about 12:30 p.m., the fire department said.

Strong winds spread the fire to buildings, which prompted the Pullman Fire Department to call for help from Whitman County and Moscow fire crews, the department said.

While fighting the fire, an overhead power line fell and landed on a fire truck, causing sparks and minor damage, the department said. Avista cut the power to the line, and the truck was able to function normally.

The unit that the family of six was staying in was badly damaged by smoke and water. They’re being assisted by the Red Cross, the fire department said. The adjacent unit was also damaged, but not as badly, said Mayor Glenn Johnson, who also serves as the fire department spokesman. It was unclear if residents of the adjacent unit were able to return, he said.

Another building nearby also received some heat damage, but residents were able to return after the fire was extinguished, the fire department said. Five vehicles and a boat were also damaged in the fire.

Three people were treated by firefighters for smoke inhalation but none was taken to the hospital. It was not clear if they were residents in the duplex, Johnson said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Pullman Fire Marshal Darren Jones said the fire started in the brush west of the buildings and rapidly spread to the duplex with the help of the wind.