House fire in Rainier claims life of couple, granddaughter

RAINIER, Wash. — A couple and their 3-year-old granddaughter were killed in a house fire early Saturday in Rainier, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office reported.

First responders were called at 1:20 a.m. to a home in the 16100 block of Village Drive Southeast.

Firefighters said the house was engulfed in flames when they arrived.

Southeast Thurston Fire Authority Chief Mark King said firefighters saw flames shooting in the air anywhere from 70 to 80 feet.

A 20-year-old woman who escaped the fire through a window told rescuers that a child and two adults were still inside. Despite rescue efforts, the three perished. The couple was in their 40s.

King said because the house was down a cul-de-sac with a narrow dirt road, accessibility was difficult. There was also no nearby water supply.

“There’s no hydrant, so you’re having to bring in water on wheels essentially. And that creates a limited dynamic in that situation being that far out,” King said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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