Firefighters responded to a reported fire in a building located at 308 4^th Avenue South just after 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday. When firefighters arrived on the scene they found smoke and flames coming from a restaurant on the first floor of the nine story building called the Downtowner Apartments. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire and they were able to contain the fire to the first floor. Smoke from the fire spread into apartments on the seventh, eighth and ninth floors of the building, and due to smoke conditions, some residents were evacuated. Two Metro busses were brought to the scene to shelter the evacuated residents until they could be allowed back into their homes.

One elderly male was transported to the hospital in a private ambulance for treatment of respiratory issues and one firefighter was transported to Harborview for a knee injury. Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical problem in the restaurant. Damage was estimated at $250,000.