Seattle Fire Department Battle 3-Alarm Fire In North Beacon Hill

Press release from the Seattle Fire Department:

August 20, 2020

SEATTLE – The Fire Alarm Center received a call at 5:42 a.m. with a report of a fire at a new construction site at the 1000 Block of Sturgus Ave. S. Crews saw a black column of smoke when travelling to the scene, and upon arrival discovered a well-involved fire in a three-story building that had spread to nearby structures. In total, four buildings under construction sustained heavy fire damage.

The response was quickly upgraded to a 2-alarm bringing in additional resources, and at the height of the incident reached a 3-alarm. Fourteen fire engines and four ladder trucks worked strategically to get a water supply from nearby hydrants and utilized the engines’ water to knock down the flames. Firefighters fought the fire defensively from all directions, applying water with hose lines and ladder pipes.

Over 50% of the City’s firefighters responded to the scene to keep the fire contained and prevent it from spreading further. An occupied residence to the left of the fire structure and condominium to the right were evacuated upon arrival, and luckily no members of the public or firefighters sustained injuries. Residents in the area were instructed to close their windows and doors to avoid smoke exposure.

Firefighters worked for over an hour to get the fire under control, and successfully stopped it from spreading further to the nearby structures. The cause of this fire is under investigation.

This press release was produced by the Seattle Fire Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.