Arson suspected in Westlake apartment fire that trapped residents inside

WESTLAKE, Wash. — A Westlake apartment building caught fire in the middle of the night, trapping residents inside.

Fire investigators believe someone set the blaze on purpose, which blocked a main escape route for the building.

KIRO 7 talked with one man, who lives on the Dexter House 4th floor, where the fire had him trapped.

“I couldn’t get out. The intensity around the room where I was in. It melted the outside of my door, a steel door, and pretty much melted the walls around it,” said resident Ken McClure.

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That fire broke out just after 2:30 a.m. at the Dexter House apartment complex.

“[I] seen the black smoke coming from the door. I went and put my hand on the door, and it was smoking,” said McClure.

Jessica Udovich, who lives nearby was jarred away by a loud sound at that time and saw a red glare out of her window.

“The fact that I woke up to a noise kind of was scary. I don’t know if something else is going to blow up in there or what so just try to get out as fast as we could, grab the dogs, and ran outside,” Udovich said.

Seattle Fire told Ken and some other residents to shelter in place. They had to evacuate others because the fire in the main lobby area blocked their only exit.

“[I] got out onto the balcony before I couldn’t breathe. When I got out there several of my partners who live downstairs were already out there. They were running around the building screaming,” said McClure. “They believe someone went through the stairwell lighting fires all the way up so it’s believed to be intentional.”

Jared Baur, who works for a restoration company walked through the wreckage Saturday morning and said‚ “It’s completely burned up, the hallways couple of the apartments.”

Now everyone who lived at Dexter House has been displaced.

“We’re going to get as much stuff out as we can and help others do the same and we’re either going to stay in a car, put up a tent, or do what you got to do,” said McClure.

He also said that due to a lack of repairs, he and others stopped paying rent years ago and have had a dispute with the property owner since. He also says the other residents may not even believe the “limited entry” sign is a legitimate city postage.

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“They’re going to see the sign on the door and not believe it’s from the city because she’s used fake deputy sheriffs to serve eviction papers and all kinds of fraudulent crap like that,” said McClure.

Seattle Police said that the sign on the door is real, and being inside the building isn’t safe.

KIRO 7 did briefly talk with the property owner on the phone, who didn’t want to comment.