Seattle, Washington – Fire in University District Caused Big Smoke Plume

Seattle, Washington  (April 24, 2019) – A fire in an abandoned home in the University district caused a smoke plume to linger over the area. The Seattle Fire Department warned people in the area to keep their doors and windows closed to limit exposure. The house on fire, located at the 4500 block of 9th Avenue Northeast, was slated for demolition. While a fire spokesperson has said no one was believed to be inside, crews could not confirm if the house was empty as the roof was collapsing.

The crews were first called to the area around 5 a.m., and around 6 a.m. the fire was said to be knocked down by the crews and that they were working on keeping the fire contained in the house. The smoke has since dissipated from the area.

About Fire

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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