7 fires in 7 days: Fire officials seeing rise in arsons in Seattle

Seattle firefighters say they’re seeing a rise in intentionally set fires in the city after seven arsons in seven days.

The fires happened between July 13 and 20.

• Follow this link to read additional stories from KIRO 7

The first of the seven fires happened at a vacant building at Ninth Avenue and Madison Street on First Hill, where a 26-year-old man had to be carried out as the building burned.

The four-story apartment building is near hotels and Virginia Mason Hospital. Firefighters were concerned the flames would spread.

More on Seattle fires: SFD on pace to respond to more than 1,000 encampment fires in 2023

Most of the arsons have happened in dumpsters, garbage bins and the stairwells of occupied buildings in dense areas with homes and businesses nearby.

Regarding recent intentionally set fires in Chinatown-International District, First Hill and Capitol Hill: https://t.co/MHlMOAesiW

— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) July 25, 2023

Others were set in vacant buildings, like a 2-alarm fire in the CID on July 20 that destroyed a warehouse.

• Follow this link to read additional stories from KIRO 7

The Seattle Fire Department is working with the Seattle Police Department’s arson and bomb squad.