80 firefighters respond to Central District fire after it spreads to 7 buildings
Jul 24, 2025, 5:52 AM | Updated: 11:57 am
A fire that sparked in a shed in Seattle’s Central District overnight escalated to two alarms, prompting evacuations and damaging seven buildings.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) said the first 911 calls came in at 1:20 a.m. Thursday, about a fire in a detached shed in the backyard of a home in the 900 block of 20th Avenue.
“First units arrived on scene and reported smoke and flames coming from the shed, then it was quickly extending to the adjacent homes,” SFD Public Information Officer David Cuerpo said.
Nearby homes were evacuated, and the response was upgraded to a 2-alarm, to bring in more resources, Cuerpo said. At one point, 100 firefighters, 12 engines, six ladder trucks, and Rescue 1 were on the scene.
Seattle firefighters respond to a 2-alarm fire in the Central District. (Photo: John Odegard, SFD)
Cuerpo explained that homes are close together and the streets are narrow in the neighborhood, which can be a challenge for fire crews.
“Fortunately, because it was overnight, we didn’t have a lot of traffic in that area,” he said.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries. No one from the evacuated homes was harmed.
7 buildings damaged in Seattle fire
“In total, there were seven buildings that were damaged, that includes two sheds, four single-family homes, and one apartment building,” Cuerpo said.
The families inside those four homes are displaced until inspectors can determine if it’s safe to go back inside. Residents of the three-story apartment building were allowed to return.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
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