State sues contractors for igniting Taylor Bridge wildfire
Jun 7, 2013, 12:57 PM | Updated: 1:58 pm
The state of Washington is suing to recover some of the millions of dollars it spent to fight a wildfire, started at the site of a bridge repair project near Cle Elum.
The Taylor Bridge fire destroyed 61 homes and burned 23,000 acres between Cle Elum and Ellensburg last August.
The Department of Natural Resources is suing Conway Construction and Rainier Steel. A state investigation found that the fire was human-caused and that the contractors were negligent in their welding operation. The report concluded it was most likely that sparks from the welding ignited dry brush near the bridge at Taylor Road and Highway 10.
The state is suing for more than $5 million. Dozens of landowners have also sued the contractors for negligence.
The total cost of fighting the Taylor Bridge fire is estimated at more than $11 million.
