Toppenish, Washington – Two People Dead in House Fire at Larue Road

Toppenish, Washington (January 8, 2020) – Two people died in a house fire on the 9000 block of Larue Road on Wednesday night. According to the report from KIMA News, investigation has been handed over to the Yakima Nation Tribal Police Department and ATF. Update: as of an article released by KIMA News on January 18, 2020, the victims have been identified as Edward Tahmalwash and Christina Tahkeal. The Yakima County Coroner also said tht=at the cause of death was smoke inhalation.

Crews from the Yakima County Fire District Five responded tot he scene around 8 p.m. The cause and the circumstances of the fire has not been detailed. Investigation on the case is still ongoing.

About Fire

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victims. Unfortunately this is not the only time a house fire has resulted in a fatality. The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration reported that 41 home fire fatalities were reported in 2018 within Washington. Statistics from the NFPA have recorded that cooking equipment were the leading cause of home structure fires, home fire injuries, as well as being the second leading case of home fire deaths. Additionally, smoking materials are the leading case of home fire deaths, though it isn’t always the case every year. Always handle fire with wariness and see to it that fires are always extinguished after use. Remember also to assess the area where fire is going to be used and see to it that complete fire safety is practiced at all times.

Aside from cooking equipment and smoking materials, electrical causes remain to be one of the top causes for home fires according to the NFPA. Their Electrical Fire Reports to the U.S Fire Department since 2000 estimates around 45,000 to 55,000 cases of home fires being caused by electrical malfunction every year. Annual losses due to electrical fire result in 455 civilian deaths, 1, 500 civilian injuries and 1.5 billion of dollars in direct property damage. From these statistics, the risk from electrical fire is very real and should not be underestimated. As for the accidents themselves, the NFPA lists 63 percent involved wiring and related equipment, 74 percent cited some sort of electrical failure or malfunction, and wire or cable insulation was the first item ignited in 32 percent of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires. From these cases, one must always review and identify potential fire hazards and fix them to avoid damages, injuries or deaths.

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