(Image: @BroadcastCoffee)
Seattle Fire units scrambled to the 300 block of Bellevue Ave E to battle a fifth floor apartment deck fire that spread into the unit.
The fire in the Kensington Apartments building was first reported just after 8:30 PM
Seattle Fire reported the blaze was under control and that there were no injuries within 15 minutes of the initial response.
The fire marshal was called to the scene to determine a cause. The fire was contained to a single unit but at least one adjacent unit sustained water damage during the response.
UPDATE: Seattle Fire has determined the fire was caused by “improperly discarded smoking materials.” The blaze caused $70,000 worth of damage. SFD says residents were let back into the building around 10:30 PM — about two hours after being evacuated due to the response.
CHS reader Ella Li tells CHS she called 911 about the blaze after seeing flames from the building.
Thanks for the many tips, calls and texts about the incident.
I’m so glad everyone got out my neighbors and I were screaming from our courtyard get out get out fire! It was the propane tank i think. I spoke with one of the residents who thanked me and when I asked why the fire alarm didn’t go off till much later he told me they had to pull it manually. I would assume the smoke detector had the battery removed to not go off. I hope all the residents are given places to stay tonight.
A propane tank on an apartment balcony? What ignited it?
Still no official word on the cause yet. I do know that the resident was not in and luckily had no pets. Most of us were just let back in to our units. I feel bad for the poor person who lived under 503…
THANKS, Ella! Before the alarm went off I could vaguely hear someone yelling something like “Get out! You’re a liar!” – I thought someone was having a domestic. Turns out you were yelling FIRE. lol… Then the alarm went off. I peeked out to see if there was smoke (we have had false alarms more than once) and saw what must have been you and your neighbors yelling. Then we grabbed our cats and got out. We’re on the bottom and to the side, so everything is fine for us except a wet carpet.
A GIANT thanks to the fire dept – the response was super fast and huge!
Thanks for the follow-up report. My girlfriend and I were in 403 and had just gotten home. Heard a lot of commotion upstairs, but that was nothing new as they are loud at all times of the night. Wasn’t until I peeked over the balcony that I saw the fire. Water damage was extensive, but glad everyone is safe!
So sorry for you guys. We are in 105 and only have minor water damage in the living room from water wicking up. I can only image how horrible it must be in your unit. :( At least no people or pets were hurt. Hope things work out for you two in terms of getting back into a livable unit and getting your stuff replaced. Let us know if you need anything.
Thanks for your willingness to help. I can’t believe the water got all the way down to your unit! Estimates have suggested that at least the ceiling and flooring will have to be replaced. We have a place to stay during the reconstruction.
Thanks again neighbor!
Now would be a good time to remind apartment dwellers again about the HUGE importance of renters insurance. If you don’t have it, don’t put it off again – get it! Look how close a lot of you in this apartment building came to losing all your belongings. And I would bet a lot of you do not have renters insurance. Get it – it’s cheap.
The most important thing about renters insurance is often times not about protecting your belongings, but protecting you from liability. Renters insurance includes liability so you don’t have to pay the $70,000 it costs to fix the building because you didn’t put your cigarette out sufficiently, or accidentally broke the fire sprinkler and water damaged everything, etc.
I third this! I made sure to get renters’ insurance for my last place after the upstairs neighbor’s water heater gave out and the water went straight down four floors to the ground. Our unit was right under, and the water went through so fast that there was no damage to our possessions (though they had to replace the ceiling – that was the landlord’s insurance), but the unit beneath us was wrecked. It’s only about $150-250 a year, depending on the size of your place and the amount of coverage, and absolutely worth it.
Happy to hear that the damage was limited to property, and smokers or anyone using fire, please make sure you put it out properly!
Absolutely, Liz. A few years ago I owned a rental condo, and I made very clear to my various tenants that they would NOT be covered if damage to the bldg ruined their belongings. I even went so far as to write into the lease that they HAD to secure renter’s insurance. They all agreed and appreciated my insistence– though I suspect some of them didn’t do it, anyway. But that risk was their own, not my fault.
Thanks to the Seattle Fire Department for a kick-ass job getting there quickly and getting things under control! Glad everyone is ok.
We live in 501 right next to the unit on fire, but thankfully there is no damage in our place! None of us were home and we found out about it from a friend of one roommate that saw our building on fire from SLU and sent pictures… I think we are all signing up for renters insurance today!! Scary stuff, but so thankful everyone is okay..
Glad to hear your unit is fine! So happy the fire didn’t spread…
I’m not sure if Pemco offers renters’ insurance but they had perfect promotional placement in the video of the fire which was posted above. Great video quality. What type of camera was used to video this?
Glad no one was injured.
Heh, actually just signed up with them. I should have told me agent about the video! They offered me the best rate after checking around and I got a discount because I work for UW.