Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 4:31 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Morton man was airlifted to a Portland hospital overnight after a single-vehicle crash on Highway 101 about seven miles northwest of Naselle.

Troopers called just before 11:30 p.m. yesterday report the gold 2001 Chevrolet Blazer was southbound when for unknown reasons it left the roadway to the right and struck a tree stump.

The driver, Jeffrey R. Moulton, 28, was injured and transported by air to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, according to the Washington State Patrol. A hospital spokesperson shortly after 8 a.m. said Moulton was still being evaluated but by this afternoon, he was listed in fair condition.

The Blazer was totaled, according to the state patrol.

The investigating trooper reports it’s unknown if Moulton had been wearing a seat belt.

The cause is under investigation, but they suspect alcohol or drugs to be involved.

The two-story house remains standing, but ruined by the Thursday evening fire. / Courtesy photo by Derrick Paul

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The blaze that destroyed a Winlock home originated around the wood stove, Fire Investigator Derrick Paul said today.

Paul said he didn’t know exactly what happened, whether maybe something was left to close or its pipe failed.

What he does know for sure is a smoke alarm alerted the sleeping occupant, enabling him to get out.

“Without a doubt, it would have been a different story if he did not have working smoke detectors,” Paul said.

The resident had lit his wood stove before going to bed, he works a night shift, according to authorities.

Crews responding to the Thursday evening call at the 200 block of Walter Road found heavy flames at the front of the two-story house.

He was able to escape, but sustained a little bit of smoke inhalation, Paul said. And, he suffered second-degree burns on his feet from walking over melted linoleum on his way out, he said.

Lewis County Fire District 15 Assistant Chief Kevin Anderson said yesterday the residence and its contents are a total loss.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A two-story house just south of Winlock was ravaged by fire yesterday evening and its sole occupant who had been sleeping escaped with minor burns.

Members of five fire departments responded to the approximately 6:10 p.m. call to the 200 block of Walter Road, according to Lewis County Fire District 15.

“The first arriving unit reported a single two-story residence with heavy involvement on the front side, the front porch and extending into the living quarters,” Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Anderson said.

They fought the fire defensively, transitioning out of the active attack after about an hour and forty five minutes, Anderson said.

The roof and second floor collapsed, leaving the home and its contents as a total loss, he said.

The resident who work a night shift had been asleep, but was able to get out with just minor burns to his foot, Anderson said. Some friends took him to the hospital to be checked, he said.

A fire investigator responded to find the cause of the fire, although it didn’t appear suspicious, Anderson said. Crews were on the scene until almost 1 a.m., he said.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office today said they know blunt force injuries are what killed the man found deceased on Mandy Road last week, but the manner of his death won’t be determined until further investigation.

The body of Patrick Pemberton, 48, of Tumwater, was discovered by a passing motorist about 8 p.m. last Thursday, according to authorities.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said at the time there was no evidence of foul play and they believed Pemberton either jumped or fell from the Interstate 5 overpass above the road.

Witnesses had seen a man walking across the freeway bridge in south Lewis County, acting erratic, the sheriff’s office said.

The coroner’s office today said it has positively identified Pemberton.

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For background, read “News brief: Man’s body found on South Lewis County road” from Friday February 5, 2016, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The family pet is okay but the kitchen cabinets burned up when a teenager got distracted while cooking up curly fries at a Chehalis apartment yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters were called just before 4:30 p.m. when a neighbor saw smoke at the Chehalis Avenue Apartments on Southwest Third, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

“Somebody tried putting it out with a fire extinguisher and everybody evacuated, except the dog,” Fire Capt. Rob Gebhart said.

One crew member attacked the kitchen fire while Gebhart searched for the animal, which he said was ultimately discovered sitting on a couch.

The kitchen cabinets were destroyed, a set of blinds on a sliding door melted and firefighters had to tear out some of the wall, Gebhart said. There was smoke damage as well, he said.

The lesson with the pan of oil is to never leave food cooking on the stove unattended, Gebhart said. The young man got a talking to by the fire department and was pretty distraught, according to the captain.

Another important piece of advice, is even if the particular item someone is making doesn’t call for putting the lid on the pan, it’s wise to keep the lid nearby, Gebhart said. If fire breaks out in a pan, one can cover it up with the lid and smother the flames he said.

The small dog was unhurt, he said.

Gebhart estimated the repairs could be around $15,000.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  State Route 6 west of Chehalis is closed in both directions as troopers investigate a double-fatality collision.

Firefighters called at 4:50 p.m. to the scene at Highway 603 immediately confirmed the deaths of two occupants and found one patient in serious condition, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

District spokesperson DJ Hammer indicates that person was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.

The initial reports of the two-vehicle accident suggested it may have been head-on or it may have been a T-bone incident, according to Hammer.

The Washington State Patrol is on the scene conducting its investigation.

State Route 6 is expected to remain shut down for the next few hours.

Further details were not readily available. More information will be reported when available.