Brush fire destroys classic cars

A brush fire Saturday burned 60 acres of barley, stubble and pasture in Endicott, Wash., and destroyed most of a man’s collection of vintage vehicles.

The blaze was started by a combine, Endicott Fire Chief Randy Schmick said, and fought by more than 50 people from Whitman Fire District 6 and District 2, Schmick said. Crews were still mopping up hot spots on Sunday. No one was injured and no homes were damaged.

As fire crews concentrated on protecting homes Saturday, the wind-propelled blaze melted much of Robin C. Stobie’s classic car collection.

Stobie, 44, said that he lost 30 of about 40 vehicles, including a 1973 Camaro 350, 1972 Chevelle SS 350 4-speed, a 1965 Econoline pickup, 1950 Ford F-5, and 1953 White 3000 C.O.E. He also lost several vintage motorcycles, including a 1972 125 Rickman Matisse, and two Honda Elsinores.

The fire also destroyed 160 feet of corrugated steel fence on Stobie’s property, construction materials, two outbuildings, and a 60-foot bridge, which crosses Rebel Flat Creek. “I’m still going over what’s been burned down,” said Stobie, who estimated his total losses at between $200,000 and $500,000. The losses will be covered by insurance.

As the flames neared the Stobies’ 1903 Victorian home, “the first thing to do was throw the gate open and let the dog out,” Stobie said. Then Stobie, his wife, Jeannie, daughter Libby and son Pat climbed onto their home with a garden hose to wet down the roof and nearby trees. “Be ready to run,” Stobie said he told his family

“Smoke was coming from the east, smoke was coming from the west, we were there in a tiny patch of light,” Stobie said, adding that neighbors pitched in to help firefighters keep the blaze away from homes.