Blaze Destroys Hops Warehouse

Fri., Sept. 24, 1999

A fire destroyed a John I. Haas hops warehouse Thursday, a loss of more than $2 million, a company executive said.

The warehouse was one of 18 in a complex and was nearly full with 6,500 bales of hops, harvested in the last two or three weeks, said Jim Stoffer, executive vice president.

The cause of the fire had not been determined, but spontaneous combustion of the bales is suspected, said Chuck Heath, public education officer for the Yakima Fire Department.

There were no injuries, and damage was confined to the one building.

The Yakima Valley is the nation’s leading producer of hops, which are used to flavor beer. The state’s hops crop was worth almost $72 million last year.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.