Federal Way, Washington – One Person Dead in Apartment Fire

Federal Way, Washington (December 21, 2019) – One person died in a fire that affected 10 units in an apartment on the 3300 block of Southwest 320th Street on early Saturday morning. The identity of the victim has not yet been released. No other injuries were reported in the fire, but a total of seven people were displaced by the fire.

The fire was reported to have started shortly after 5 a.m. Crews from South King Fire and Rescue, Puget Sound Fire, Valley Regional Fire Authority, Browns Point Fire and Tacoma Fire responded to the scene. The fire was caused by unattended cooking in the unit where the victim died. All ten units received were affected by the blaze and water damage. The Red Cross is assisting all displaced residents.

About Fire

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victim. The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration has recorded 15 home fire fatalities this year 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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