Seattle, Washington – Fire Breaks Out in Warehouse at Weller Street

Seattle, Washington (August 15, 2019) -A fire was reported to have broken out in a warehouse at the 2000 block of South Weller Street. Fortunately employees were reported to have safely evacuated the building and no injuries were reported.

Crews were able to contain the fire to one area of the building. The fire was reported to be successfully extinguished, though crews had to use a mobile ventilation unit to clear the smoke that was given off in the fire.The cause of the fire has not been reported. No street closures were announced during the fire, though motorists were asked to avoid the area while firefighting efforts were ongoing.

About Warehouse Fires

According to the NFPA, the U.S. Fire Departments respond to an average of 1,210 fires in warehouse properties, which represents less than 1% of all structure fires. While it is a small figure compared to other types of structural fires, the damage can still amount up to a huge sum. The annual average damage from warehouse fires are $155 million in direct property damage, three civilian deaths, and nineteen civilian injuries. For the causes of warehouse fires, intentionally set fires and fires caused by electrical distribution and lighting equipment are the leading causes, each accounting for 18% in the total number of fires. Flammable contents like chemicals, combustible liquids and gases, piping and filter ignite the fire in 6%of the cases, which is a smaller number but accounts for 31% of civilian injuries and 12% of property damage. Aside from these causes, warehouse and factory fires can also stem from the presence of combustible dust, hot work (metalworking such as welding, soldering, etc.) and equipment and machinery. The amount of possible hazards and the nature of work in industrial settings means that workplace and fire safety conditions should always be checked.

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