Fire damages three buildings in Soap Lake

Fire caused heavy damage to a small start-up church on Main Avenue in Soap Lake this morning with the flames and smoke spreading to an antique shop and tattoo parlor on either side of the church. Firefighters from Soap Lake were joined by crews from Ephrata and Grant County Fire Districts 7 and 13, said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for the county’s emergency services department. The fire broke out at 7:30 a.m. in the 300 block of East Main Avenue and caused damage to the two adjacent buildings. The roof of the church where the fire started collapsed into the building. A ladder truck from Ephrata arrived and quickly knocked down the heaviest of the flames, Foreman said. Some fire damage was reported in the tattoo parlor. The two adjoining buildings had heat and smoke damage, too. All were single-story buildings with a mix of construction methods. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Firefighters were expected to remain on the site for hours putting out the smoldering heaps and clearing debris, Foreman said.