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Fire at UW Medical Center

SFD incident command unit on scene for fire at UW Medical Center

Oct. 2 at 3:19 p.m. – Our Fire Alarm Center received multiple calls reporting heavy smoke originating from the lobby floor of UW Medical Center’s Cascade Tower. Engine 31 was the first company to arrive on scene and determined the fire was confined to a medical supply room. When the fire alarms activated, occupants of the lobby floor safely evacuated with the assistance of UWPD and Public Safety. The building’s sprinkler system was able to contain the fire while our crews extinguished it by 3:36 p.m.

Fire damage was minimal, but water damage from the sprinkler system was significant. Our fire investigation unit determined the fire to be accidental and caused by faulty lithium batteries that ignited in a storage bin. Estimated cost of the damages are yet to be determined. Fortunately, no injuries were reported and no patients were significantly impacted. Our crews were able to ventilate the facility to prevent interruptions to ongoing medical operations.