Valley Regional Fire Authority had a busy afternoon July 14th. While still on the scene from a fire that destroyed a mobile home, an apartment fire broke out three miles away. Both fires required the assistance of units from neighboring agencies.
V Place SE
Engine 31 was dispatched to the home in the 400 block of V Place SE at 5:10 pm. 11 Units in total were on scene, including Medic One and Zone 3 Rehab. South King County Fire and Rescue assisted VRFA, containing the fire at 5:51 pm. The scene was cleared just before 7:30 pm.
The mobile home is considered a total loss. There is”approximately $200,000 in damage to structure and contents,” said VRFA Public Information and Education Officer, Kimberly Terhune.
The cause of the fire “remains undetermined and may stay undetermined as there were multiple possible ignition sources and too much fire damage to pinpoint any one cause,” shred Terhune. “It is possible the insurance company responsible for the home may do an independent investigation, but we do not have any indication of that at this time.”
Two adults and two children were displaced. The Red Cross is handling their needs.
Meadowbrook Apartments
Units were dispatched to an active fire at the Meadowbrook Apartments (935 18th St. NE) at 6:37 pm. 18 units were on the scene, including support from South King Fire and Rescue, Puget Sound RFA, KC Medic 1, Zone 3 Rehab, East Pierce Fire and Rescue. With joint effort, the fire was contained by 7:18 pm. Units remained on scene to assist with the investigation and to conduct a fire watch.
This fire remains under investigation.
According to Terhune, two units were totally destroyed, with smoke and heat damage to adjacent units. There was approximately $250,000 in damage to structure and contents. Five adults and two children were displaced. The Red Cross is handling their needs.
Speculation has circulated that the fire began in a vacant first-floor apartment. “In answer to the speculation, our investigators have determined where the fire began and it was not in the vacant first-floor apartment, but in the occupied unit next to it” stated Terhune.
Mutual Support
Pierce County Ladder 113 staffed station 31 during the Meadbrooke Apartment fire, ensuring coverage. “In King County Zone 3, we have existing mutual aid agreements with other departments to help each other out when a large incident depletes resources in one jurisdiction,” explained Terhune. “It is very common for a neighboring department to assist. We receive mutual aid and give mutual aid several times per month.”
“The South King County Fire Training Consortium ensures we and our neighboring departments are trained to the same standards and this makes our operations consistent when we respond together,” Terhune continued.
Busy Weekend
In addition to these two fires, VRFA worked two other fires over that weekend.
Units were dispatched to the 7/12/2019, 9:09 p.m., Sherwood Gardens Apartments (2901 Auburn Way South) on Friday, July 12th shortly after 9:00pm. Arriving units observed smoke coming from the unit. The apartment fire destroyed one unit. Investigators found that the fire started on the stove, most probably unattended cooking. Approximately $30,000 damage to structure and contents, one adult male displaced. The resident is being rehoused by the apartment complex.
Just before 9:30 am on Saturday morning, units were dispatched to a House Fire in the 200 block of Coyote Drive in Pacific. Kitchen fire caused by unattended cooking displaced one adult female. Approximately $15,000 damage was caused to the kitchen area, as well as light smoke damage.
Updated 7/22 at 4:03pm: this article has been updated with a clarification from VRFA. The corrected information is in orange.