Tacoma, Washington – Four People Injured in Fire in Apartment Fire

Tacoma, Washington (January 28. 2020) – Four people were injured in a fire that broke out in an apartment on East 56th Street and East Swan Creek Road on Tuesday morning. According to the article from KIRO7,  a woman and children sustained burns and smoke inhalation in the incident. All victims were taken to an area hospital for treatment. No further word has been given regarding their condition.

Crews from the Tacoma Fire Department responded to the incident shortly after 7 a.m. Upon arrival crews found smoke and fire coming from the second floor of the building. The fire was put under control within 30 minutes, and stayed on the scene to monitor and put out hot spots. The fire made two apartment units a total loss, with a third unit sustaining water damage. The cause has not yet been reported, but it was believed that the blaze started in the kitchen.

About Fire

The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration reported that 41 home fire fatalities were reported in 2018 within Washington. Statistics from the NFPA have recorded that cooking equipment were the leading cause of home structure fires, home fire injuries, as well as being the second leading case of home fire deaths. Additionally, smoking materials are the leading case of home fire deaths, though it isn’t always the case every year. Always handle fire with wariness and see to it that fires are always extinguished after use. Remember also to assess the area where fire is going to be used and see to it that complete fire safety is practiced at all times.

Aside from cooking equipment and smoking materials, electrical causes remain to be one of the top causes for home fires according to the NFPA. Their Electrical Fire Reports to the U.S Fire Department since 2000 estimates around 45,000 to 55,000 cases of home fires being caused by electrical malfunction every year. Annual losses due to electrical fire result in 455 civilian deaths, 1, 500 civilian injuries and 1.5 billion of dollars in direct property damage. From these statistics, the risk from electrical fire is very real and should not be underestimated. As for the accidents themselves, the NFPA lists 63 percent involved wiring and related equipment, 74 percent cited some sort of electrical failure or malfunction, and wire or cable insulation was the first item ignited in 32 percent of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires. From these cases, one must always review and identify potential fire hazards and fix them to avoid damages, injuries or deaths.

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