ORONDO, Wash. — Newly obtained video by KIRO 7 shows a group of people setting off fireworks from a moving truck down Highway 97 on the Fourth of July. Investigators believe this incident started the deadly Chelan Hills wildfire.
The fire, sparked on July 4 in Orondo, was started by fireworks. Nearly 10,000 acres burned, and one person and his dogs died while trying to escape the flames. Over 100 structures (homes, buildings) were completely destroyed.
The video shows a group firing Roman candles from a truck bed. Kent 18-year-old Michael Yakimov, was arrested earlier this month for manslaughter, arson, and assault.
During the investigation, Flock cameras helped identify Yakimov and at least four other people as being in the truck when the fireworks were set off, according to court documents filed on Sept. 3.
Court documents say several videos were taken in the truck.
One video file, taken at 12:05 a.m., is described as: “Michael is to [other person’s] right and is holding the Trooper Turret firework, which is lit and actively lighting off the firework rounds as they drive northbound on US Hwy 97. The firework is directed over the driver’s side portion of the tailgate straight back into the road area. A male voice can be heard yelling in an excited tone, ”Hey, shoot it at them, shoot it at them" (referring to a Mercedes SUV that passed the truck on the passenger side), according to court documents.
The video also shows the firework aimed at that SUV and hitting the vehicle, exploding off it as it passes.
“Don’t tell them who was shooting,” Yakimov said in the video, according to the court records.
It’s believed Yakimov threw the explosives seen in the video, court docs detail.
The video also shows the alcohol that the group allegedly stole from a Safeway before firing off the explosives.
Investigators are still looking into the other individuals in the truck when the fire was set.
The fire, contained in under a week, caused over $6 million in damage.
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