Seattle — This morning around 5 a.m., the Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Alarm Center received 911 calls reporting smoke and flames coming from a vacant commercial building near the 2000 block of Rainier Ave. S. (initially identified as the 2300 block of S. Plum St.). The vacant building was once a 7-Eleven that reportedly closed in 2022. The first units on scene confirmed flames visible through boarded up doors and windows of the front-side of the building. The fire quickly broke through the roof, forcing firefighters to withdraw from the building and transition to a defensive position where crews poured water on the fire from a safe distance.
Firefighters were able to search the adjacent business, Baskin-Robbins, confirming no one was found and that the fire did not extend inside. By 5:48 a.m., the roof of the vacant building collapsed. Enabling crews to utilize the ladder pipes of the raised aerials to pour water directly onto the fire. The fire was under control by 6:53 a.m., and we reduced the response to a few units to monitor for flare ups. At 3:13 p.m., the fire was fully extinguished, and the scene was turned over to the property owner.
No injuries were reported and our investigators ruled the fire as undetermined. We shared information with Seattle Police for them to determine whether to conduct a follow up investigation.
UPDATED March 27: Seattle Fire Department investigators ruled the fire as incendiary (intentionally set) and have shared their findings with Seattle Police to investigate further.