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Two garages with people living inside burn in Wamac fire Saturday morning

By Bruce Kropp Mar 2, 2024 | 10:13 PM
Fire engulfs a garage being used as a house in Wamac Saturday morning. Photo by Brady Toennies.

The Centralia Fire Protection District found two garages fully involved in flames when arriving at the scene of a Saturday morning fire in Wamac.

Fire officials say five people were living in the two structures at 1400 South Cherry, two in one and three in the other.  All escaped safely, but one had to be treated on the scene for a minor facial injury from plastic dripping down on him after reportedly returning inside.   The names of the occupants were not immediately available.

The State Fire Marshal’s office has been called in to investigate the cause of the fires.

Firemen were hampered by a water main problem that forced them to shuttle water from down the block.   All of Wamac west of the CN railroad tracks remains under a boil order due to loss of pressure.

Centralia City and Sandoval Firemen provided mutual aid on the scene, while Odin and Irvington Firemen stood by at the Centralia Fire Protection District Station in the event of another fire.

The fire call came in at 6:35 on Saturday morning.

Fire of undetermined origin burns two garages in Wamac. Photo by Brady Toennies.


Saturday morning fire engulfs two garages in Wamac. Photo by Brady Toennies.


After the fire is out, not much is left of the garage buildings. Photo by Tim Ferguson.


Another view of what remains from an intense fire that destroyed two garages used for housing in Wamac Saturday morning. Photo by Tim Ferguson.