A two-alarm fire at a three-story apartment building in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood displaced residents from all 12 units Thursday morning, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
The Seattle Fire Department said it received multiple 911 calls at 6:21 a.m. reporting smoke coming from a residential building in the 100 block of N. 45th St.
Engine 9 was the first unit to arrive and reported smoke coming from the roof of the building. After firefighters confirmed a working fire, additional crews were dispatched.
Firefighters entered the building and found the fire in the attic void space above the third floor. According to the department, the fire spread through the attic space and affected all third-floor apartment units. The building was evacuated, and crews completed a primary search to ensure all residents had safely exited.
At 7:03 a.m., the incident was upgraded to a two-alarm fire, bringing additional resources to the scene. The response included 11 fire engines, six ladder trucks, command staff and support personnel, with more than 80 firefighters responding.
Crews attacked the fire from both the roof and the third floor, pulling ceilings apart in each third-floor apartment to reach flames hidden in the attic space. While operating on the roof, firefighters identified an area covered with pavers that they could not safely access because they were unable to determine the roof’s stability. An exclusion zone was established around that section.
The fire was brought under control at 7:38 a.m. and declared extinguished at 8:13 a.m. Firefighters remained at the scene afterward to extinguish hot spots and monitor the building.
The Seattle Fire Department said all 12 apartment units are now uninhabitable. The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported.
Photos by John Odegard