Smoke pours into Seattle as crews put out major 2-alarm fire in Capitol Hill
Aug 16, 2024, 5:58 AM | Updated: 10:08 am
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) battled a fire in an abandoned building in the Capitol Hill neighborhood on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the SFD)
(Photo courtesy of the SFD)
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) reported Friday morning the two-alarm fire in a vacant building in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood its crews responded to is under control.
It started at 4:30 a.m., the SFD posted on X it was responding to the fire in the three-story building located in the 1700 block of Belmont Avenue.
The department then quickly elevated the incident to a two-alarm fire because the fire extended to a second structure behind the vacant building. In a post on the SFD blog Fire Line, the department confirmed the “extended to an occupied adjacent apartment building to the west.” It added crews worked to knock down this part of the fire.
The SFD reported around 5:25 a.m. that a primary search of the vacant building showed it was all clear. The department added that its firefighters “transitioned to a defensive position by pouring water on the fire at a safe distance away from the building.” It also reported that the roof of the vacant building is at risk of collapse.
The Fire Line blog entry reported one person was treated on the scene for minor injuries and didn’t require hospitalization.
In another X post from the SFD, residents and businesses in that area were told to close windows and doors to prevent smoke from entering. Alert Seattle, which is the city’s official emergency notification system, joined the SFD in delivering the same message on X to area residents.
Shortly after 8:30 a.m., the department reported on X that the fire was under control and “A few units will remain on scene for fire watch.”
Photos the SFD published from the scene posted by the SFD show a considerable amount of smoke and fire as crews continue to take on the blaze.
1700 block of Belmont Ave.: Flames are through the roof of the vacant building. pic.twitter.com/CQxropifQP
— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) August 16, 2024
The incident is under investigation.
Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.
