Public Safety
Firefighters rescue man and child as two-alarm fire damages Tumwater apartment complex near City Hall
A two-alarm fire Thursday tore through the roughly 30-unit Suncrest Apartments on Israel Road Southwest in Tumwater. Firefighters rescued a man and a child, no one was seriously hurt, and dozens of residents were displaced. The cause is under investigation.
Firefighters rescued a man and a child Thursday, Oct. 15, as a two-alarm fire spread through an apartment complex on Israel Road Southwest in Tumwater, across the street from the city's fire headquarters and City Hall, according to the City of Tumwater.
No one was seriously hurt. Several residents were evaluated for smoke inhalation, but none were taken to a hospital, Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Crimmins told The Olympian. The city put that number at five or six, KOMO reported.
The rescues. Crews were called at about 11:30 a.m. and found fire on the second floor of the roughly 30-unit building, Crimmins said. Firefighters used a ladder to bring down a man trapped on a second-floor balcony. Separately, they found a child asleep in one unit and walked him outside, Crimmins told The Olympian.
A fast-moving fire. Crews first attacked the fire from inside, then pulled back to a defensive strategy when flames reached the attic, Crimmins said. About 40 firefighters responded, including mutual-aid crews from Olympia, Lacey Fire District 3, Griffin, West Thurston, McLane Black Lake, East Olympia and South Bay fire departments.
The fire was under control by about 4 p.m., Crimmins said, and all units were likely damaged by fire or water. KIRO 7 identified the complex as the Suncrest Apartments.
Displaced residents. The city opened a respite space for residents and their pets in the fire department's training room. Family Education and Support Services, the American Red Cross, FD CARES and the Salvation Army provided diapers, clothes and shelter, the city said. The complex was working to place residents in hotel rooms, KOMO reported.
Nearby closures. Tumwater police closed part of Israel Road, and City Hall closed early because of smoke and fire activity, city spokesperson Jason Wettstein told The Olympian. Tumwater High School, down the street, kept students indoors as a precaution, according to a notice on the school's website.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the city said.
Sources
Photo credit: City of Tumwater (via The Olympian)
