Last updated on July 29, 2020
FERNDALE, Wash. — About 11:30am today, July 17th, more than a dozen fire and aid apparatus were dispatched to a building located in a back corner of the Greenacres Memorial Park at 5700 Northwest Drive due to a report of a commercial structure fire.
According to Whatcom County Fire District 7 Division Chief Ben Boyko, it appeared fire had spread outside a natural gas crematory in the building. Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire outside the chamber.
Bellingham Fire District and North Whatcom Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to provide mutual aid.
Moles Farewell Tributes & Crematory Owner John Moles said that while the 20-year-old crematory had passed all recent inspections and even received an award from the Northwest Clean Air Agency, it would quickly be replaced.
Boyko said fire damage was limited to an office area and there was no structural damage to the building
The Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause.