November 9—Seattle Fire Investigators along with “Henny” the accelerant sniffing dog investigated a suspicious fire at a Madison Park Bank of America bank branch. Around two a.m., a Seattle Police Department patrol officer spotted the bank’s ATM machine smoldering at the branch located in the 4100 block of East Madison Street.
Engine Company 34 arrived to find a small amount of flames and smoke coming from the cash machine. The fire had extended inside the bank and up in the attic area between the ceiling and roof of the building. Firefighters found the bank branch doors and windows to be locked and secure so they made forcible entry inside the bank in order to fight the flames. It took nearly 40 minutes to extinguish the fire.
“Henny” the accelerant sniffing dog “hit” on a couple of items located in the debris at the fire scene. Those items are being sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab to be tested for accelerants.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Damage estimates are pending.