CHENEY, Wash. — Fire destroyed the Motel in Cheney overnight on Tuesday, in one of the most intense fires the city said it has ever seen.
The fire started around 12:30 a.m. at the motel on State Route 904 and Vine Street. Cheney police were the first to arrive on the scene and worked to safely evacuate the building.
When firefighters arrived the flames were already moving quickly through the building. As of Tuesday morning, at least 80% of the building has been destroyed. Firefighters have been unable to enter the building over fears that it will collapse.
"This is probably the most intense fire we've had out here in Cheney in a very, very long time," Mark Schuller, Cheney City Administrator said. "There were numerous resources on the ground trying to extinguish this thing and it was tough, very tough. The fire was raging for several hours."
Firefighters are expected to remain on scene throughout the day, putting out hot spots and making sure flames don't return.
Work is underway to connect people displaced by the fire with the Red Cross for help. One resident, James Hansley said he had just seconds to escape the fire.
"Nothing else we can do about it. Can't cry over spilled milk and I don't blame anybody. Accidents happen," Hansley said. "We didn't lose any lives, so, thank God for that."
Schuller said there are a lot of people without homes after the fire, many of them lost everything.
"People were trying to go back in and collect whatever belongings they could, but at that point, the fire was too dangerous," he said.
Drivers in the area should be prepared for street closures around the fire. Also, there is a lot of smoke in the area near the motel.
This is a breaking news story. KREM 2 news will update it with more information as it becomes available.
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