Rainier Valley fire that destroyed building under construction confirmed as arson

A fire that destroyed a building under construction in Seattle’s Rainier Valley neighborhood at approximately 4:30 a.m. Wednesday was intentionally set, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) confirmed.

The building is located at the corner of 33rd Avenue S. and S. Hanford St. The fire forced residents inside nearby homes to evacuate.

Rainier Valley construction fire

The SFD investigators have confirmed that arson was the cause of both Wednesday morning fires in Rainier Valley.

SFD fire investigators have determined both the fire in the 4500 block of Rainier Ave. S. and the 3300 block of S. Hanford St. were intentionally set. Information regarding the fires has been referred to @SeattlePD for a follow-up investigation.

— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) July 30, 2025

SFD firefighters reported that power lines in the area were down because of the fire. Seattle City Light worked to restore power after a short outage.

Firefighters assumed a defensive position in their battle with the flames. SFD crews searched and evacuated adjacent homes.

“At this building under construction, there’s a lot of fuel because of all the wood and debris that’s here for building that home, and there’s also no fire suppression systems activated or installed as of yet because it’s still under construction,” SFD Public Information Officer David Cuerpo said, according to KIRO 7. “That amount of fuel, combined with that high heat, can cause vehicles and even buildings across the street to catch fire or melt.”

Just after 5 a.m., SFD reported the fire was under control and no injuries were reported.

33rd Ave. S. And S. Hanford St: Fire extinguished. Crews are working on overhaul. A unit will remain on scene through the morning for fire watch.

— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) July 30, 2025

SFD noted that one unit will remain on the scene to monitor the building for possible reignition.

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