Crews also tackle blazes near Spangle
CHENEY – The Motel Cheney was destroyed in an overnight blaze early Tuesday morning, Aug. 23.
Late Tuesday afternoon, city firefighters were still on-scene with a ladder truck and other vehicles at the 11-unit motel with full-time residents at 1502 First St. location.
First Street remained closed between Mary and Pine streets and a demolition crew was expected to assist with cleanup.
Officials said the fire began about 12:30 a.m.; nobody was injured.
At least 26 units from Cheney, Airway Heights and Spokane County, including Cheney-based Fire District No. 3, assisted with containing the blaze.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation at press time.
The fire wasn't the only one area crews responded to in recent days.
On Sunday, Aug. 21, Fire District No. 3 personnel responded to Philleo Lake near Spangle for a 12:40 p.m. fire.
The brush fire burned 20-30 acres of wheat, officials said.
Fire District No. 3 also responded to a wildfire on Wednesday, Aug. 17, burning in the median of U.S. Highway 195 between Spangle and Spokane.
That blaze prompted the state Department of Transportation to shut down highway traffic in both directions as local and other fire crews attacked the blaze from both sides.
The smoke plume was visible from downtown Cheney.
And Fire Boss fixed-wing aircraft scooped water out of Silver Lake to drop on the fire.
The fire burned about 10 acres of dry grass and timber; no structures were destroyed.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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