Seattle — At 2:37 a.m., the Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Alarm Center received 911 calls reporting a fire in a four-story apartment building at the 2000 block of Dexter Ave. N. in the Westlake neighborhood. The first units on scene confirmed flames visible through windows of the south interior stairwell near the main lobby, and extending to the floors above. Incident command upgraded the response to a 2-alarm fire because the fire involved a primary escape route for residents and smoke filled the hallways of all floors.
By 2:52 a.m., firefighters had water on the fire and searched the entire building. Helping evacuate impacted residents while requesting others in uninvolved units to shelter-in-place. Crews had the fire under control by 3:25 a.m. and extinguished ten minutes later.
No injuries were reported, but all residents are temporarily displaced because of unsafe conditions of the building as the main entrance and escape routes were impacted by the fire. Fire investigators ruled the fire was incendiary (intentionally set) and have forwarded their findings to the Seattle Police Department to further investigate. Estimated loss is $100,000.
Safety message: In case of a fire, know your escape routes and practice an evacuation plan with all members of your home. If your escape routes are blocked or impeded by heavy smoke, then shelter-in-place and call 911. Place wet towels or blankets at the bottom of your door to prevent smoke from entering.
