Multiple Fires, Fatal Crash Keep East Pierce Fire and Rescue Busy Over Weekend

The last weekend of August was busy for East Pierce Fire and Rescue firefighters.

It started just before 3 p.m. Friday, with a wildfire behind, formerly known as Cascadia. The deep-seated brush and stump fire burned about a half an acre. No homes were threatened. Sixteen firefighters battled the blaze. A crew and brush truck kept an eye on the remains of the fire overnight. Saturday morning, crews mopped of the last of it using a back hoe.

Simultaneously, firefighters were called to an apartment fire in Milton at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The fire, on the 2000 block of 27th Avenue, began on the back patio of a first-floor apartment. The crews were able to contain it to the exterior of the building, although the interior suffered smoke damage.

A general alarm was called to bring in volunteer and off-duty firefighters to assist with multiple other calls throughout the fire district.

At 4:22 a.m. Saturday morning, another wildfire was reported beyond Wilkeson. It burned approximately one acre and was turned over to the Department of Natural Resources.

Just after 1 p.m. Saturday, The driver of a sedan, a Sumner woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of a full-size pickup was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The road was closed in both directions while Washington State Patrol investigated.

At 4:46 p.m., firefighters were called to a fire at the 6800 block of 245th Avenue East, near Buckley,

Initially, the Pierce County Sheriff deputies had the crews wait some distance from the house while they attempted to subdue a suspect. When the suspect fled to the woods, the firefighters were allowed in to extinguish a fully-involved box van that had been set ablaze. The fire had extended to a nearby shop/garage. Firefighters were able to save the contents of the structure.

Once the suspect was captured, they transported him to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.