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MV fire destroys shed, damages car
Mount Vernon firefighters mop up a shed fire Thursday morning that damaged a shed and pickup truck at a residence off North First Street. Scott Terrell / Skagit Valley Herald
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 6:00 am
MV fire destroys shed, damages car By Lynsi Burton Skagit Valley Herald
MOUNT VERNON — A fire that sent up black columns of smoke visible from Interstate 5 caused more than $10,000 to a shed and pickup truck at a residence on North First Street, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
No one was injured, reports say.
The fire was reported just before 11 a.m. Thursday in the 600 block of North First Street. A neighbor said he saw the smoke from downtown Mount Vernon.
Ten firefighters responded and the flames were extinguished within minutes. However, the fire damaged a 1998 Ford Ranger XLT worth $3,500 and caused about $8,000 damage to the structure that housed it, Fire Chief Roy Hari said.
There was a bucket of ashes and melted electrical wiring near the source of the fire — because either could have caused the fire, the cause was ruled undetermined, Hari said.
“We can’t point to any one thing that started the fire,” he said.
Garage burns in downtown Mount Vernon
Frank Varga
Mount Vernon firefighters spray foam Monday into an abandoned garage that was engulfed in flames behind a home at 1010 S. Sixth St. in Mount Vernon.
Garage burns in downtown Mount Vernon Kate Martin Skagit Valley Herald
A garage caught on fire Monday afternoon near downtown Mount Vernon. The fire, which was next to an abandoned home, was isolated to the garage.
The heat was so strong that the siding of the adjacent home also caught fire. A pillar of thick, black smoke could be seen from much of the city, and was right next to Interstate 5.
Several people driving by stopped to look at the flames shooting out of the roof while firemen from Mount Vernon and Conway tried to snuff them out.
The cause of the fire is unknown. It was also not immediately known if anyone was in the structure at the time.
Neighbors said nobody had lived in the home "for a while."
Family of four is displaced MOUNT VERNON — A family of four is displaced after a fire destroyed the living room of their one-story house Tuesday night. The homeowners, who live in the 2100 block of Cascade Drive, called 911 at about 10:38 p.m. after smelling smoke and finding flames near the mantle of their fireplace, according to reports from the Mount Vernon Fire Department. Firefighters found the house filled with smoke and a fire burned between the living room wall and the chimney. Firefighters were required to tear down the wall around the fireplace and the ceiling above to completely extinguish the fire. Investigators determined the cause of the fire was combustible construction materials installed too close to the chimney. Damage to the house was estimated at $20,000, according to the fire department. The two parents and two children in the home were uninjured and evacuated to the Mount Vernon Fire Department's rehabilitation unit. The family is currently under the care of the American Red Cross.
MV fire leaves woman, dog homeless Posted: Thursday, November 3, 2011 2:23 pm | Updated: 4:45 pm, Thu Nov 3, 2011. MV fire leaves woman, dog homeless Lynsi Burton Skagit Valley Herald A woman and her dog were displaced by an early morning fire that completely burned the second story of the townhouse apartment where they were living, according to reports. Firefighters responded at 12:41 a.m. to the 200 block of Stanford Drive to find the fire burning through the bedroom window and doorway of the apartment. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes, Fire Chief Roy Hari said. The second floor was totaled and the ceiling of the first floor was pulled down due to the damage. The estimated damage is between $60,000 and $80,000, Hari said. Investigators believe the fire may have been caused by an unattended child in the bedroom who was visiting the apartment. There were no injuries. The woman and dog who lived in the apartment are under the care of the Red Cross and staying at the CottonTree Inn.
Morning house fire displaces family  MOUNT VERNON - A family of seven is now living with relatives after a house fire destroyed their home Friday morning. Firefighters were called to the 600 block of Mountain View Drive at 8:05 a.m. and found a fully involved fire at the one-story house, said Tom Scally, battalion chief at the Mount Vernon Fire Department. Two parents and their five children had evacuated the home and escaped with no injuries. The house suffered major structural damage and was "gutted" by the fire, Scally said, amounting to a $175,000 to $200,000 loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it appears to have started in a child's front bedroom.
Man sent to hospital after running truck into power pole  Mount Vernon police are investigating the cause of a one-vehicle collision Tuesday morning in which a pickup truck ran into and broke a power pole. Police and firefighters responded to the collision at the intersection of 20th Street and Broadway at 8:48 a.m., according to reports. The 56-year-old Mount Vernon man who drove the Ford Ranger into the power pole was taken to Skagit Valley Hospital, complaining of pain and reportedly "short of breath and dizzy." Puget Sound Energy also responded to the scene, but the company said the power pole damage did not cause any power outages.
MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon Fire Department was kept busy with a record number of calls between Monday and Wednesday morning, for everything from fires and collisions to medical aid. The fire department was contacted 41 times in the 48 hours between 8 a.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Wednesday, Fire Chief Roy Hari said. At one point, the agency received 10 calls in a 70-minute period. "We don't know why," Hari said, adding that the calls have ranged from medical aid to the smell of smoke, to alarms sounding. "Just a huge spike of calls in the last few days." The 41st call came at 7:50 Wednesday morning, when firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in front of a house in the 1000 block of North LaVenture Road, according to fire department reports. They extinguished flames coming from the engine of a 1993 Volvo 850GLT. The cause was said to be the car's fuel system. Firefighters also rescued a 30-year-old woman who fell out of a tree trying to retrieve her cat about 5 p.m. Monday on Aemmer Road. The woman fell 75 feet into an embankment beneath the tree, and firefighters used a rope and pulley system to bring her out. Tuesday morning, firefighters were called to a collision in which a pickup truck collided with a power pole, sending the driver to the hospital. There also was another vehicle fire where a Ford Escape caught on fire due to a mechanical failure. "Just some very interesting calls in the last couple days," Hari said.
Six people displaced after Thursdays Mount Vernon fire A fire that started in a 5-year-old's bedroom Thursday afternoon in a Mount Vernon fourplex caused $152,300 of damage and displaced six residents. No one was injured in the fire, but the apartment where the fire started suffered severe damage. The belongings of the family living in the burning apartment were completely destroyed. Authorities closed off traffic to a portion of Hoag Road and Continental Place and diverted traffic around the burning building. The roads were reopened to traffic later in the evening. Fire crews were dispatched to the fire at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday, shortly after two men working on the roof of a nearby building spotted flames billowing out of the fourplex's windows. The men rushed to the fourplex and notified the residents to evacuate. Fire crews say the fire started in the 5-year-old's bedroom, but don't yet know the cause.
Electrical surge starts fire in manufactured home MOUNT VERNON — A fire started by an electrical surge Wednesday caused heavy damage to a manufactured home on Widnor Drive. A Puget Sound Energy employee was conducting maintenance on the home's electrical meter when a surge of electricity started a fire inside the building. Mount Vernon firefighters responded to a call from the worker at 11:43 a.m. Crews put out a fire in the home's utility room.
Homeless man severely injured in morning fire A 40-year-old homeless man was transported to Skagit Valley Hospital on Tuesday morning with severe injuries from a fire in his tent. Mount Vernon Fire Department officials say the man was burned and suffered from smoke inhalation. A Skagit County Sheriff's deputy was driving along College Way in Mount Vernon at about 7:25 a.m. Tuesday when he spotted smoke from a wooded area near the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Leigh Way, near Draper Valley Farms, according to fire officials. When fire crews arrived, the man's tent was engulfed in flames. The injured man was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Fire officials say it appears the man had been trying to refuel a heater he had in his tent. Officials don't yet know exactly how the fire started, said Erica Work, public information officer for the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
RV fire kills pets MOUNT VERNON — A pet cat and hamster are dead after a fire destroyed a recreational vehicle Monday morning. Mount Vernon Fire Chief Roy Hari said the woman was unharmed and was outside of the trailer when crews arrived on scene at about 9:30 a.m. in the 300 block of Stewart Road. One of the woman's pet hamsters lived. Flames were shooting out of the top of the roof when the crew arrived, he said. "The trailer appears to be a total loss. It was a newer model RV trailer," Hari said. "We are still investigating the fire. Hari said the woman is now in the care of the American Red Cross. The woman, in her 40s, lived alone with her animals, Hari said.
Fire at Skagit Valley College intentionally set MOUNT VERNON — A fire on a building at Skagit Valley College early Monday morning caused about $1,500 damage and was intentionally set, according to a press release from the Mount Vernon Fire Department. Firefighters responded to an alarm at Reeves Hall on the Mount Vernon campus at about 2 a.m. Monday, according to fire reports. When firefighters arrived at the building just off North La Venture Road, flames were showing from the roof. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze. The blaze was purposefully set, according to fire reports. Evidence has been turned over to the Mount Vernon Police Department. Burlington and Cedardale firefighters also responded to the call. No one was injured. A press release from the college later Monday indicated that no disruption to classes or other activities was expected and that cleanup was under way.
Cat dies in destructive MV house fire MOUNT VERNON — A couple escaped a fire Friday night that substantially damaged their home and claimed the life of their pet cat, a fire department press release said. About 40 percent of the single-story, wood-frame home in the 2300 block of Martin Road was destroyed in the blaze, which was reported by the couple shortly before 7:30 p.m. They saw flames coming out a back window and then managed to escape and call 911, the release said. The husband was evaluated for smoke inhalation by fire department and Skagit Medic One personnel. A dog escaped. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which had spread to the garage and back side of the house by the time they arrived seven minutes after the call. Initial estimated damages were $60,000 to the home and $50,000 to other property, including a travel trailer parked in front of the house. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Mt. Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing temporary housing.
Fire destroys home on East College Way; 11 escape serious injury MOUNT VERNON — An East College Way home was destroyed by a fire Sunday morning burning nearly all of a family's possessions, including their Christmas presents. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. None of the eleven occupants of the home — a grandmother and her family — were injured in the fire, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department. However, one adult female was taken to the hospital for observation after showing signs of hypothermia.
The family is now staying at a hotel in Burlington. The estimated damage to the home and contents is $150,000. Fire this morning destroys a fifth-wheel trailer MOUNT VERNON — A fire this morning destroyed a fifth-wheel trailer that was being used as a home. The resident of the trailer and his two dogs were not at home at the time of the fire, which was reported by a neighbor. Mount Vernon firefighters responded to the fire on Mobile Drive at 7:37 a.m. They put out the fire in about 10 minutes. Damage was so extensive the cause of the fire could not be determined.
Fire at the Skagit County Jail early this morning caused a bit of a stir MOUNT VERNON — An electrical fire at the Skagit County Jail early this morning caused a bit of a stir, but no one was hurt and no inmates were evacuated, officials said. Mount Vernon firefighters responded to the call at 12:54 a.m. Initially, the call was for a fire alarm, but the call was soon upgraded to a structure fire because of an electrical fire in the main control panel that controls internal operations of the jail, according to a press release from the Mount Vernon Police Department. The fire was extinguished by Mount Vernon firefighters and Skagit County Sheriff's personnel. Power was shut off to the damaged electrical panel.
Accident blocks College Way Skagit Valley Herald staff MOUNT VERNON — A two-car accident blocked parts of College Way on Tuesday afternoon. Roy Hari / Submitted Photo Mount Vernon firefighters use equipment to extricate a person trapped inside a vehicle Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of College Way and Waugh Road. Police said all injuries were minor.
Frayed wires spark MV house fire MOUNT VERNON — A fire caused by the frayed wires on an electric paper shredder did $17,000 worth of damage to a Mount Vernon home Monday night, according to a Mount Vernon Fire Department news release. A smoke alarm on the second story alerted the 42-year-old homeowner just before 7 p.m. He closed the door to the room where the fire was and left the home, the release said. By shutting the door, he prevented smoke and heat damage to the rest of the house. When firefighters arrived to the home in the 2400 block of Cindy Place, a room on the ground floor was filled with flames. Flames also were coming out of one of the windows, the release says. Nineteen firefighters from the Mount Vernon and Burlington fire departments controlled the blaze within 15 minutes. Everything in the room and the room itself were destroyed from the fire, the release says. No one was injured.A dog and two cats, who were home at the time, escaped the fire without being injured as well — Tahlia Ganser
Fire displaces nine in MV apartment MOUNT VERNON — A hot pan of oil ignited a fire in an apartment Friday afternoon, and the smoke and water damage displaced nine people, the Mount Vernon Fire Department said. The fire at 4:05 p.m. at the Mount Baker Terrace Apartments on East Division Street triggered an alarm system and a sprinkler system in the apartment, which quickly put out the flames, fire spokeswoman Erica Work said. No one was injured. Damage in the apartment was esti mated at $20,000, Work said. Two adja cent apartments also were damaged by water from the sprinklers. "The activation of the sprinkler sys tem certainly prevented further dam age in the building," Mount Vernon Fire Lt. Mike O'Dell said in a news release "There are 23 other apartments in the building, and the sprinklers kept the fire from spreading to other areas." Housing arrangements for the five people who live in the apartment and four house guests were made by the Mount Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross. — Tahlia Ganser
Fire Destroys South Mount Vernon Structure 
(Mount Vernon, WA) – Seventeen firefighters from Mount Vernon and Skagit County Fire District #3 (Conway/Cedardale) responded to a fire in a 1680 square foot pole building at midday on Tuesday. The fire, at 2511 Old Highway 99 South, destroyed a three-bay garage, workshop and loft behind a residence.The fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes, and firefighters stayed on scene for several hours to overhaul the building and clean up.
Fire of empty home under investigation Authorities Monday were investigating a blaze that destroyed the remains of an unoccupied home Sunday evening — the second fire in about two years at that address. The single-story home on Cleveland Avenue has been boarded up since February 2007 when a kitchen fire caused $115,000 worth of damage to the building and its contents, said Erica Work, Mount Vernon Fire Department spokeswoman. A caller to 911 reported the blaze at 6:10 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters arrived to see flames showing on the ground floor, Work said. It took firefighters three hours to extinguish the fire, with help from the Burlington and Cedardale fire departments. Fire damages home on North LaVenture A home on North LaVenture Road sustained about $10,000 in damage early Monday morning after a fire spread from a fireplace insert and ignited wood flooring. Flames extended into the crawl space and walls of the house, and smoke detector alarms woke the couple who live in the home. They were able to get out safely, firefighters said. The fire was reported at 1:40 a.m., and it took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze.
Fire destroys garage of MV duplex Damage is estimated at $50,000 By MARTA MURVOSH
Staff Writer
M O U N T V E R N O N — A fire that started in a duplex's garage on South 22nd Place sent up a column of smoke Monday that could be seen from Burlington.
The blaze destroyed the garage and its contents — including books, children's school papers and resident Robert Bellus' mother's "good china." Firefighters say no one was hurt in the fire, which caused smoke damage throughout Bellus' side of the duplex.
The family's 10 pets — eight cats, a dog and a hamster — also were fine, Bellus said.
Bellus said that he was away from home when the fire was discovered about 12:05 p.m. Monday. A neighbor saw smoke pouring from the garage and called 911, he said.
"I was driving home and came around the corner and saw fire trucks," Bellus said. That's when he realized it was his home that was burning, he said.
Bellus said his 16-yearold daughter was home at the time, and when she opened the door to the garage, the flames flared up and singed her hair.
She was taken to Skagit Valley Hospital, where she was treated and released, said Erica Work, Mount Vernon Fire Department spokeswoman.
Firefighters from all three of the city's fire stations and from the Burlington and McLean Road fire departments were sent to the blaze, Work said. Firefighters from Clear Lake and Burlington covered the rest of the city during the half-hour it took to extinguish the fire.
Family escapes MV house blaze
A Mount Vernon home was severely damaged by a fire Saturday morning, said Mount Vernon fire spokeswoman Erica Work.
A mother and her 15-year-old son, who had rented and lived in the South 14th Street home for less than a month, were at home when they smelled smoke about 9 a.m. The heater in their living room was engulfed in flames, Work said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. No one was injured.
When the Mount Vernon Fire Department arrived, flames were coming out of the home.
It took nine firefighters about 30 minutes to control the fire. Flame and smoke damage totaled about $80,000, Work said.
"There is a lot of repair work that needs to be done, but it's not a total loss," she said.
The American Red Cross has helped the family secure temporary housing.
Fire destroys auto repair shop Skagit Valley Herald staff
MOUNT VERNON — Fire and explosions consumed a longtime auto repair shop in south Mount Vernon Thursday night.
Sam's Auto Repair, formerly Bidwell's Towing, was destroyed in the fire, which began around 7:30 p.m.
By the time firefighters arrived, the approximately 6,000-square-foot, single-story metal building was engulfed in flames. Propane tanks, acetylene welding equipment and hot tires were exploding.
"It was really popping," said Erica Work, a Mount Vernon Fire Department spokeswoman.
Firefighters estimate the fire damage to be $300,000, said a Mount Vernon Police Department news release.
Scott Terrell / Skagit Valley Herald
Electrical fire damages bedroom Skagit Valley Herald Staff MOUNT VERNON — A couple was displaced from their home on Widnor Drive Tuesday when an electrical fire burned a back bedroom. The man singed his hair when he opened the door of the room where the fire burned, but otherwise no one was hurt, said Erica Work, fire department spokeswoman. Although fire damage was limited to the bedroom of the couple's manufactured home, other parts of the house were marred by smoke and heat, Work said. The fire was caused by an extension cord, she said. It took 11 firefighters about 20 minutes to knock down the fire, which was reported at 7:35 p.m.
June 22, 2008 Fire guts family of 6 trailer home By MARTA MURVOSH
Staff Writer
MOUNT VERNON — Amparo Corona Jr. and his wife awoke early Sunday to the sound of pounding and thought someone was breaking into their home. Flames gutted the Corona family's manufactured home at a mobile home park on Urban Avenue about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, displacing the family of six and burning most of their possessions.
May 6, 2008 
No injuries reported as van rams MV Post Office By MARTA MURVOSH
Staff Writer
M O U N T V E R N O N — A driving mishap Tuesday morning caused a van to crash into the U.S. Post Office in downtown, fracturing a brick wall and smashing two large windows.
February 24, 2008 String of Suspicious Fires Continues in Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, WA) – Two storage sheds were destroyed and a third was significantly damaged Sunday night in the latest of a series of suspicious fires in Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon firefighters were dispatched just after 8:00 p.m. Sunday to a set of storage sheds behind the Summerset Apartments at 1516 N. 19th Street. Firefighters were able to rapidly extinguish the fires, which also blistered the siding on the apartment building fifteen feet away. The origin of the fires appears to be available combustible materials on the exterior of the storage sheds. Damage is estimated at $15,000. There have been sixteen fires of suspicious origin in Mount Vernon in the past four months. The Mount Vernon Fire Department and Mount Vernon Police Department continue the investigation into the fires.
November, 2008 MOUNT VERNON — Fire ripped through the attic and back side of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 44 building on Thursday evening.
Around 7:30 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to College Way and 18th Street. Almost one third of the building was in flames when firefighters arrived, said Mount Vernon Assistant Fire Chief Glen Brautaset.
"We had a pretty quick response time on this," he said. "But judging by what I see, it's going to be a total loss."
He said the fire's intensity in the attic made it particularly dangerous for fire crews, but no one was injured.
"When it gets in the attic like that, it causes a lot of damage in a short amount of time," Brautaset said. "It had to be a completely defensive attack from the beginning."
As the ladder truck spewed water from above, firefighters broke through the front windows to attack the fire from below.
• August Kryger can be reached at 360-416-2147 or akryger@skagitvalleyherald.com
October 29, 2007 No one hurt in fire involving two semis The Mount Vernon Fire Department responded about 4 a.m. today to a fire involving two tractor-trailers at the truck stop on Old Highway 99.
No one was injured.
The fire involved a refrigerator trailer and a flatbed trailer. One of the semis caught on fire and ignited the second one, according to Mount Vernon Fire Department spokeswoman Erica Work. Neither had any cargo, she said, nor was either running at the time of the fire.
An investigator was at the scene this morning trying to determine the cause.
August 28, 2007 
Kitchen fire N. Waugh Rd.
August 20, 2007 Couple and infant daughter escape fire
A family of three escaped an early-morning fire Monday in their second-story apartment.
A couple and their infant daughter were asleep when the fire broke out in the kitchen of their Third Street apartment. The man, 25, was awakened by the crackling of the fire. He was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The Mount Vernon Fire Department responded about 1:30 a.m. and contained the fire to the kitchen. Smoke and fire damage was estimated at $15,000. Other building residents were evacuated, but no other apartments were damaged. Mount Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the displaced family with essentials and accommodations.
Fire officials are investigating the cause, but said the fire began near the stove.
Mount Vernon Fire Capt. Steve Riggs said the home's smoke alarm was not properly installed and did not provide warning.
August 14, 2007 
Todd Linder / Skagit Valley Herald A Mount Vernon firefighter directs water onto the Iglesia Roca Fuerte church at the corner of Hazel Street and Cleveland Avenue on Tuesday night. Firefighters were pulled into defensive positions after the fire spread through the roof.
August 7, 2007 Mount Vernon Mayor and Council applauded two Mount Vernon women who saved another woman's life when she collapsed in cardiac arrest July 19. Kathy Larson and Barbara Rock were driving and walking by on East Division Street and South Waugh Road at about 6:20 p.m. that day when they saw Arlene Athearn collapse. Their quick response to resuscitate her and the fire department's speedy arrival on the scene helped save Athearn's life, Fire Chief Roy Hari said.
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Ongoing. Please click on the link below for information on all the City Library's great programs for children, teens and adults.
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Bring your interests, comments, concerns and praises to chat with Mayor Boudreau over coffee. Whether you are a business owner, community member or just a curious neighbor, she would love to see you there! All Coffee Hours are informal and open to the public.
Mount Vernon Farmers Market
Saturday, May 26, 2012
9am-1pm. Fresh food, live music, flowers, crafts and those Swedish Pancakes! Begin your Saturday mornings here, on the Revetment in downtown Mount Vernon.
Ward 2 Meeting
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Hillcrest Park Lodge, 1717 S. 13th Street. Please join Mayor Boudreau, Ward 2 Councilmembers Gary Molenaar and Mark Hulst, and Councilmember At-Large Dale Ragan to voice your questions, concerns or observations about the City of Mount Vernon.
Ward 3 Meeting
Monday, June 18, 2012
6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Fire Station 3, 4701 E. Division. Please join Mayor Boudreau, Ward 3 Councilmembers Bob Fiedler and Mike Urban, and Councilmember At-Large Dale Ragan to voice your questions, concerns or observations about the City of Mount Vernon.
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