Police, firefighters on high alert amid series of arsons

The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) responded to a fire last Sunday at a closed business that was undergoing renovations, and now Seattle Police Department (SPD) officials are saying the fire was part of a string of other fires in the area that day.

With a recent increase in the number of fires in the Pioneer Square and Chinatown-International District, SFD and SPD are confirming that they believe the store fire is a part of a pattern of intentionally set fires.

There was a total of seven fires set Oct. 2 between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., including:

• 5th Ave. S. and S. King St. — dumpster fire

• 1000 block of S. Jackson St. — fire in a business that was closed and undergoing a remodel

• 1st Ave. S. and S. King St. — rubbish fire

• 1st Ave. S. and S. King St. — rubbish fire

• Alaskan Way S. and S. King St. — set fire to an electric scooter

• Alaskan Way S. and S. King St. — rubbish fire

• 10th Ave. S. and S. Jackson St. — dumpster fire

SFD’s fire investigators continue to work closely with the SPD’s Arson and Bomb Squad to share information regarding the ongoing investigations.

SFD and SPD are urging the public to immediately call 911 if they see someone setting an illegal fire.