Investigation Continues on Yakima Apartment Fire

What caused an apartment fire that killed 61-year-old Douglas Jewit of Yakima early Monday morning? That is the question fire investigators are trying to answer today.

Capt. Tom Schneider says when firefighters arrived at the Starlighter Apartments on Browne Avenue just after 4:00 a.m. Monday they immediately ran to the second story apartment.

“Once they started cooling the fire down and clearing the smoke, that’s when they found the man laying near the living room.”

Investigators are looking for clues with no word on how the fire started. And while the one apartment burned, several others were damaged by the water and smoke.

Schneider says they do not know if Jewit had working smoke detectors. Firefighters did not hear any detectors when they first arrived.

The investigation continues today.