Family of five displaced when home burns in Electric City

A cooking mishap turned a house to ashes Friday, leaving a family without a home, but well, not including one or more less fortunate pets.

Firefighters got the call at 5: 24 that evening, according to a post on the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department's Facebook. When they arrived, "the fire had progressed enough to determine it would be a defensive attack," the post states, so firefighting would emphasize keeping it from spreading to other structures and the dry grass in the adjacent lot.

A father and four others in the home were displaced by the fire, including a grandfather and three children ranging from 14 to 21 years of age, according to their mother, Cory Sanborn, who did not live in the home.

A dog, Scout, was lost in the fire. Two other dogs and two cats were reportedly OK.

A neighbor said her brother, Ben Palma, had gone to open doors and windows as the fire was in progress, hoping to let them out.

Randy Young, the father and homeowner, told a Coulee Dam police officer he had set a pot of stew on the stove on the low setting, then left to go to a ball game.

Grand Coulee, Electric City, and Bureau of Reclamation fire departments responded, along with Coulee Dam and Grand Coulee Police and Grand Coulee ambulance service.

Firefighters had the fire knocked down by 6:03 and left the scene at 8:33 p.m.

To donate and help

Cash donations and clothing were being sought for the family, Tina Taylor said.

Cash Donations are being accepted for the Randall S Young family (house fire) at the Wheatland Bank in Grand Coulee (formerly North Cascades but the signage hasn't been changed yet).

A gofundme.com account for Grace Young has also been set up to "Support Grace's Family After Their House Fire," seeking $5,000 to help with expenses, organized by Angelina Tapec. It's at https://gofund.me/5c8b44c7. As of Tuesday night, $1,120 had been donated there.

Clothing sizes needed include:

Boys' 2x pants, LG pants, XL shirts. Girls 2-3X in tops and pants. Men's 3x in shorts, 42x29 pants, 39x29 pants, 1x shirts.

Donations can be dropped off at The Moose Lodge in Grand Coulee from 2 to 7 p.m., Taylor said. She's updating her Facebook with the family's needs.

To donate at

Wheatland Bank

North Cascades / Wheatland Bank

Account # 1332 Randall S Young

You can deposit cash or checks at any Wheatland Bank now.

You can mail checks to

North Cascades / Wheatland Bank

608 Midway Ave

Grand Coulee Wa 99133