Church fire sparked by food dehydrator

[Guest Nicole]

Fire sprinklers likely saved a Battle Ground-area church from more extensive damage after a food dehydrator sparked a fire Sunday night in its attached garage.

Around 9:20 p.m., crews from Clark County Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall north of Battle Ground, at 33209 N.E. Lewisville Highway, for a report of a structure fire.

Deputy Clark County Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson said a fault in a food dehydrating device sparked a small fire in a garage attached to the church. The dehydrator appeared to be homemade.

The sprinkler system limited the damage to a roughly 3-square-foot area, causing about $4,000 to $5,000 in damage.

“The sprinkler system saved the day,” Eavenson said. “Once again, the value of fire sprinklers are very evident there.”

The dehydrator was being used to dry some fruit, he said.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2016/dec/19/church-fire-sparked-by-food-dehydrator/

[David Normand]

Surprise that with the ownership of all Kingdom Halls by the society and them going through periodic inspections to make sure the property is up to code and standards that they would allow a homemade piece of junk to be used in an unattended area. They really should have known better.