Seattle, Washington – Fire in Commercial Building

Seattle, Washington (March 30, 2019) – Firefighting crews responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 block of 23rd Avenue in Seattle’s Central District around 3:45 am a.m. on Saturday. The building had no occupants and no firefighters were injured during the incident. The fire was extinguished within thirty minutes of the response. Seattle Fire Department has reported an estimated damage of $150,000 to the structure and $50,000 to the contents.

Initial calls reported a duplex was on fire, but was later determined to be a commercial building. Fire investigators have ruled the fire as intentionally set and are conducting a follow-up investigation.

About Fire

It is fortunate that no one was injured in this particular case, and the firefighters are to be commended for their response. While the fire in this case has been ruled as intentionally set, it is always good to remember fire safety reminders, which can also help prevent arson. The Seattle Fire Department has released a few reminders after a recent incident with arson in the SoDo area. Most if not all the steps in fire safety involve securing the area of one’s business or residence. It is also important to make sure that possible combustible materials are discarded properly or at the very least kept away from buildings. They also urge owners of buildings to review fire safety and make sure that an escape plan is formulated in case of fire.

Much like fire safety in other types of buildings, there are different factors which can add or detract the risk of a fire breaking out. The structure and materials that a building is made out of should be assessed for fire safety before construction. It is also advised that all buildings should be equipped with proper fire suppression tools and detection devices such as fire alarms and smoke alarms. Taking these simple steps should help prevent or lessen the risk of fire. Like with all accidents, the effects of fire are dreadful, including property damage and loss as well as injuries or even fatalities. Fire safety is then not only consideration for one’s self, but also consideration for others.

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