More than 100 firefighters took urgent response to the erratic 3 alarm fire that engulfed a commercial warehouse in local Seattle’s Ballard neighbourhood.
It is reported that the fire destroyed the building sending heavy smoke to settle across the area. While no civilian injuries were reported, one firefighter did not escape and suffered a minor injury.
The fire broke out Thursday evening at a warehouse on Northwest 42nd Street. As the flames intensified, the Seattle Fire Department escalated the incident to a third alarm, bringing in additional personnel and equipment from across the city to battle the blaze. Thick black smoke could be seen rising above the neighborhood as crews worked to keep the fire from spreading to nearby structures.
Authorities urged residents and businesses in the surrounding area to stay away from the scene and advised those nearby to keep their windows and doors closed because of the dense smoke. Road closures remained in place for several hours as firefighters continued suppression efforts.
Firefighters brought the fire under control later in the evening, but the warehouse sustained extensive damage and was considered a total loss. The injured firefighter was treated for minor injuries and is expected to recover.
Investigators with the Seattle Fire Department are working to determine what sparked the fire. The cause remains under investigation, and officials have not yet released an estimate of the financial damage caused by the incident.
