Kent firefighters responded to two West Hill apartment fires and an East Hill house fire over Memorial Day weekend.
No one was injured in any of the three fires, but the apartment fires each went to a second alarm and caused an estimated $550,000 damage.
Fire investigators determined a gas barbecue on a balcony caused one apartment fire. Cigarettes disposed in a flower pot with dry flowers caused the second apartment fire. The cause of the house fire has yet to be determined.
West Hill apartment fire displaces eight
A second alarm apartment fire early Sunday morning on the West Hill displaced four families.
The Kent Fire Department and South King County Fire Department emergency units were dispatched to the fire at approximately midnight and arrived within a few minutes at the apartment complex in the 26000 block of 27th Place South.
Firefighters found the building evacuated and reported heavy fire visible on the third floor involving two apartment decks and the roof. Due to the size of the building, number of residents and life safety risk, a second alarm was quickly called bringing additional emergency units.
Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fires on the decks from the exterior of the building and then immediately went inside the two third-floor apartments where more fire was found. The fire was extinguished within 25 minutes.
Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire to be cigarettes being disposed of in a flower pot igniting the dry plants in the pot and the pot being too close to the siding on the third-floor deck.
The fire grew rapidly and spread to an adjacent deck and then the roof. Damage to the building has been estimated at approximately $350,000.
The eight residents displaced by the fire are staying with friends and family locally.
Barbecue causes apartment fire, displaces two
At about 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Valley Communications dispatch began receiving multiple calls reporting a fully involved apartment fire in the 4500 block of South 248th Place on the West Hill.
Firefighters reported heavy fire and thick smoke from a second-floor balcony. A second alarm was quickly called bringing additional emergency units to the scene because of the size of the complex and the number of residents at risk.
The balcony fire was quickly extinguished from the exterior of the building and then firefighters entered the apartment to fight the interior fire, which they extinguished within minutes.
Firefighters then searched out and extinguished hot spots for about 30 minutes.
The residents of the apartment said they had used the gas barbecue earlier in the evening. They had put the barbecue on the clean setting and went in the apartment to watch television. About 30 minutes later they noticed a glow out on the balcony and found the balcony fully involved in fire. The residents and two visiting grandchildren safely evacuated the building and called 911.
Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire to be a cooking device too close to the combustible siding of the building. The damage to the structure is estimated at approximately $200,000.
The two residents of the apartment were displaced as a result of the fire and will stay with family locally.
Fire damages East Hill home
At just before midnight Sunday, firefighters were dispatched to a report of a house fire in the 23200 block of 110th Place Southeast on the East Hill.
The first arriving firefighters reported that the residents had evacuated the structure and heavy fire was showing on an exterior deck of the home with thick dark smoke showing from the eaves.
Fire crews were able to extinguish the deck fire from outside and then found that the fire had extended into the attic space of the residence. Crews cut holes in the ceiling to access and extinguish the attic fire. The fire was completely extinguished within 30 minutes.
The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time and no estimate of damage has been provided.
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