EVERETT – John and Pam Balch watched their almost- finished dream home go up in flames Wednesday evening.
Their home overlooking Lake Serene south of Everett was consumed by a massive blaze that sent flames shooting 50 feet into the air, firefighters said.
Michael O’Leary / The Herald
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but several neighbors reported seeing a young man and young woman running away from the area after two loud booms were heard.
Fire investigators do not know if the two seen running are connected with the blaze, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
The Balches said they saved for six years to build their four-bedroom home in the 3600 block of Serene Way. They spent about $500,000 on construction while they lived in another smaller home on the property next to the house under construction, Pam Balch said.
She was inside that house with her daughter, 13, and son, 7, when a neighbor called and told them about the fire.
“I just scooped up the kids and got out,” Pam Balch said.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Lt. Rodney Rochon and Sgt. Ty Trenary were driving near the area and also spotted the blaze. The two evacuated the family and nearby residents.
“The house went very quickly,” neighbor Beth Anderson said. “The flames were huge, there was a lot of billowing black smoke, and it was gone.”
The fire, reported shortly before 6 p.m., threatened the next-door neighbor’s house and the Balches’ current home, and caused minor damage to both, Hynes said.
The Balches started construction on the house in July and hoped to move in by May. The house was ready for siding, but didn’t have power or natural gas lines installed, they said.
“We just went and picked out exterior doors today,” Pam Balch said. “I guess it will be quite a while before we need them.”
The couple said they have insurance and plan to build again.
“It was our dream house,” John Balch said. “But really, I’m just glad my family is OK. We can always rebuild.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
