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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 8 |
| 1915 | 10 |
| 1916 | 4 |
| 1917 | 2 |
24 stories matching flame
- A Midnight Fire, a Stairway of Flame, and Three Boys Out a Second-Story Window
Mrs. Minnie Andrews' home in Stanton's Addition burns to the ground while the fire department is too far from a hydrant to help.
- A Close Call at the Blacksmith Shop
A blow torch ignites gasoline fumes at Jameson Newell's shop, nearly destroying the facility and two automobiles.
- A Close Call at the Cleaning Shop
Static electricity turns a routine cleaning job into a dangerous fire, destroying a local shop's equipment and wardrobe.
- Richland Trading Company Store Destroyed by Fire
The town's largest mercantile establishment burned to the ground early Wednesday morning in a blaze suspected to be caused by faulty electrical wiring.
- Bees, Hay, and a Chaotic Monday
A routine day of honey harvesting at Bill Tewalt's place erupts into a farm-field fire, followed by a swarm of angry bees.
- A Gas Well Roars to Life in the Sagebrush — and Yakima Comes to Watch
Sixty North Yakima men drove out to a wildcat well 14 miles north of Benton City, where escaping gas hissed like a locomotive, then lit into a 20-foot tower of flame — and raised fresh hopes of oil under the desert. Spoiler: the gas wasn't there in commercial quantities yet.
- The Artisan Hotel Lost to Flames
A morning blaze leaves a local landmark in ruins, with early-rising travelers suspected of accidental negligence.
- Midnight Blaze Levels Kennewick Meat Market
A stubborn fire likely sparked by faulty wiring or equipment ruins the local butcher shop, leaving the owner to contemplate rebuilding.
- Benton City Merchant Loses Everything in Fire
A local family returns from an evening out to find their home and business leveled by flames.
- A Painful Pipe-Lighting Mishap
A local man suffers severe burns after gasoline residue on his hands ignites.
- Fire Levels Farmhouse While Owner Seeks Bread
A minor errand for a loaf of bread leads to the total loss of a Richland home.
- Fire Claims Barn and Livestock in Whitcomb
A blaze of unknown origin at the Washington Farm Lands company barn resulted in the loss of a horse, farm equipment, and a significant amount of alfalfa.
- Firefighters Save Lumber Yard from Train Sparks
A rapid response prevents a major conflagration after engine sparks ignite a pile of posts.
- Neighbors Rally After Homestead Fire
When a family lost their home and all their belongings to fire, the Locust Grove community immediately gathered to build them a new dwelling.
- Dry Grass Spark Ignites Fire in Olmsted Addition
A rubbish fire spirals out of control, consuming a shed before the local fire department can bridge the distance from the nearest hydrant.
- Volcano of Flame Threatens Columbia Slope Wheat Fields
A three-day prairie fire near Jump-Off Joe tested the mettle of local farmers, forcing them to plow firebreaks to save their harvest.
- Fire Consumes Garden Tracts Home
A local family lost all their possessions in a sudden Sunday night blaze that threatened neighboring homes.
- The Grape Juice Coup of the 1914 Fair
A Kennewick producer saves the Democratic Party's booth at the Puyallup Valley Fair by rebranding his grape juice as the official 'Bryan's Beverage.'
- A Close Call in the Cleaning Room
A gasoline explosion at a Kennewick dry-cleaning shop reminds residents of the dangers lurking in their businesses.
- A Violent Summer Storm Sweeps the Yakima Valley
While Kennewick escaped the worst of the wind and rain, neighboring Prosser saw a church burn to the ground after a lightning strike.
- The End of the Christmas Candle
Electric lighting emerged in 1915 as a revolutionary safety solution to the annual tragedy of candle-lit trees burning down homes.
- Suspicious Fire Sweeps Benton County Courthouse
A mid-day blaze in the treasurer's office leaves officials baffled, marking the second fire scare at the building in recent weeks.
- Suspicious Fire at Standard Oil Plant
A locked gate was forced open and three horses perished in a midnight blaze that local authorities believe was no accident.
- The Sheep Herders Who Burned a Half-Million Dollars to Scare Coyotes
For eighteen months a Rattlesnake Hills gas well blazed away at a herders' camp — until experts did the math and a three-cornered oil race began.