Early morning fires in the Mt. Baker and Columbia City neighborhoods

Photo by John Odegard

Seattle — The Seattle Fire Department responded to two significant fires in the early morning of Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

The first occurred at 3:46 a.m., when firefighters responded to a well-involved fire in a commercial building in the 4500 block of Rainier Ave. S. in the Columbia City neighborhood. Crews worked quickly to put water on the fire and prevented it from extending to an adjacent building to the west. They searched the building to confirm no occupants were inside. The fire was extinguished at 5:23 a.m. No injuries were reported.

At 4:20 a.m., the Fire Alarm Center received 911 calls reporting a fire in a residence under construction in the 3300 block of S. Hanford St. in the Mt. Baker neighborhood. Engine 25 arrived on scene and utilized the apparatus’ deck gun to quickly put water on the fire while crews deployed hose lines for additional suppression. Additional firefighters searched and evacuated nearby homes as a safety precaution. Crews were able to get the fire under control by 4:50 a.m. and determined it was extinguished at 5:09 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Update as of 10:20 a.m. on July 30: Fire investigators have determined both the fire in the 4500 block of Rainier Ave. S. and the 3300 block of S. Hanford St. were intentionally set. Information regarding the fires has been referred to the Seattle Police Department for a follow-up investigation.

The total estimated loss for the fire in the 4500 block of Rainier Ave. S. is $300k. Loss estimate total for 3300 block of S. Hanford St. is $50k.