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Suspicious 23rd Ave fire was set at home of long-time Capitol Hill business owner

CHS has learned more details about the circumstances surrounding an intentionally set fire that partially destroyed an elderly couple’s 23rd Ave E home last week.

SPD Arson Bomb and Fire detectives haven’t released details of their investigation into the Friday morning, December 23rd fire that did an estimated $205,000 damage to the home but a Seattle Fire investigator said the blaze was intentionally set inside the couple’s car which was parked in the home’s garage.

According to King County property records, the home belongs to Myron Miner, the owner of long-time Capitol Hill frame shop Simply Frames.


The Friday-before-Christmas fire brought a swarm of fire crews to 23rd Ave just before 7a. Arriving crews encountered heavy smoke and flames shooting into the air from the back of the house at 410 23rd Ave E. The garage and the car were also on fire. According to SFD’s report on the incident, a neighbor saw the flames and pounded on the home’s door, awakening the couple and helping them get out of the house.

Firefighters were also able to rescue the couple’s cat.

A local church group says it has raised money to assist the couple.

Miner shuttered his 15th Ave E shop in June 2010 after losing his lease at the location it had called home since 1997. According to court records, his landlord Capitol Hill Housing won a judgement for nearly $10,000 in unpaid rent. This year, Miner also lost a $5,000 lawsuit brought by Capital for Merchants, LLC for an unpaid 2009 loan.

In August 2010, Miner reopened Simply Frames inside the Broadway location of Edgar the Store. When Edgar closed in a swirl of financial issues, Simply Frames found a new home on Broadway.

CHS has contacted Miner but not yet heard back from the 72-year-old business owner.

A message posted to the Simply Frames site titled “We could use your help” calls for “well-wishes, good thoughts, and business.”

On Christmas Eve, there was a fire at the home of the owner of Simply Frames. Everyone got out OK, but the garage and car are a total loss, and the back wall of the house is burnt up. There had been other fires in the same neighborhood at around the same time, so there is an investigation of suspected arson. 

Please send along your well-wishes, good thoughts, and business our way. We can really use it now in this difficult time.

On December 14th, another 23rd Ave E home across the street was damaged in a fire. Investigators determined that blaze was caused by an overheated chimney.

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cascowa
cascowa
12 years ago

The fire in the CD mentioned in the update at the end of this story was on 29th Avenue, not 23rd.

jseattle
jseattle
12 years ago

Thanks for the catch on the typo! (I helped file that CDN staff report!)

Jake
12 years ago

Time for extensive tips about this type of fire … how to prevent .. and escape alive

Fran & Hank Spector
12 years ago

We are so sorry to hear of your loss. When our Condo burned a few years ago, I felt like the world had ended. For us, it was only a winter home and did not contain a lifetime of important things, so we were really lucky. It did make me realize how quickly life can change. It also made me realize how much I had to be thankful for and that didn’t really include the things that burned in the fire. Much of it was ‘just stuff’. A hard lesson to learn, but Hank and I were unharmed and the kitties even made it to safety. It was just so overwhelming that it really threw us for a loop. You have our prayers and good wishes. We hope more than anything that you get back on your feet quickly. We first heard of this from my sister Kathy, then Tom wrote to us this morning. We are so, so sorry for you both. Take care. Fran & Hank Spector