Massive fire burns at Kent strip mall
Jul 25, 2018, 5:55 AM
(KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a Kent strip mall overnight.
Crews were called to the strip mall on Central Avenue South at Meeker Street around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Puget Sound Fire Spokesman Keith Kepler said the fire started on the outside of a pawn shop, where most of the fire damage is located. An auto repair shop adjacent to it was also damaged.
The fire had to be fought defensively because the flames were too fierce for crews to go inside. A second alarm was called out to summon more resources, and then a third.
About 40 firefighters were at the scene.
Kepler said the fire grew quickly because there is a large space inside the pawn shop and many nooks and crannies inside the old structure.
As of 5 a.m., most of the fire had been knocked down.
So far, it doesn’t appear anyone was inside, but firefighters will enter the building to make sure.
Investigators will arrive to begin to look for the cause of the fire at around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m.
Central Avenue South is closed between Smith and Meeker streets.
No injuries have been reported.
