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Residents escape fire that destroyed apartment building

by KING 5 News

KING5.com

Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:59 PM

Updated Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:41 PM

KING COUNTY, Wash. - A three-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building south of Seattle on Sunday.

The fire broke out around 2 p.m. at the Lighthouse Apartments. It quickly became a three-alarm fire, a blanket of thick smoke covering the neighborhood. Smoke could be seen from 10 miles away.
   
Neighbors and residents could only watch through the smoke as the fire destroyed the four-story apartment and an adjacent smaller building. Both are owned by Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.

The group's senior vice president Gary Fast said about 30 people had to flee the burning apartment building and that "everyone is accounted for."

“Everything is gone, but you know what, I’m cool, you know why because God got my back. So that’s all I need right there,” said one young man.

Two people had burn injuries but they are said to be non-life threatening.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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Comments: Displaying 1 - 10 of 10

cjcampbell said on July 25, 2011 at 7:38 AM

Sad for the people who were living there, but glad they all got out okay. Apartment fires are truly terrifying.

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DubCFF said on July 24, 2011 at 10:39 PM

This fire was in North Highline's first due response area. This is in unincorporated King County. It was a 3-alarm fire. Kent Fire's PIO was at the scene. The fire departments that were all at the scene were: Burien, Tukwila, SeaTac, Renton, Seattle, Kent (PIO only), and South King. And, of course, North Highline. King County Medic One was also there. Anything else you'd like to know?

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BOYD322 said on July 24, 2011 at 9:18 PM

Didn't they say that it was Kent fire that was there? It was clearly visible from Bellevue

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charleylechein said on July 24, 2011 at 7:11 PM

charleylechein avatar

Are they sure this wasnt "near" Seattle? As was the shotting at the casino, that was reported as "near" Seattle. Can anyone working for KING5 set up something that defines what "near" or what "south" means? Vancouver WA is SOUTH of SEATTLE, Cant give the name of the city or area, other than SOUTH or NEAR. The dateline is kinda funny, KING COUNTY, WASH..... is anyone sure that its in KING COUNTY? Could be SOUTH SEATTLE, but then again it could be SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, thats SOUTH of SEATTLE too... great job, with people out of work anyone could do a better job...

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aziza said on July 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM

Glad everyone is okay and accounted for.

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jddriveby said on July 24, 2011 at 4:10 PM

jddriveby avatar

FIRE 101 A common misconception is that a "three-alarm fire," for example, means that three firehouses responded to the fire. This is not the rule behind the naming convention, albeit some cities may use the number of firehouses responding for multi-alarm designations because that is the simplest way to determine an alarm number. Note: In most cities, a "unit" can be anything from a tanker or ladder truck to rescue vehicles to even cars driven by the chief and deputies.) With this unit/firefighter alarm designation, the initial dispatch is referred to as a "first alarm" and is typically the largest. Subsequent alarms are calls for additional units, usually because the fire has grown and additional resources are needed to combat it,

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underserf said on July 24, 2011 at 4:09 PM

SOUTH SEATTLE!?!? Fer crying out loud, this is as much South Seattle as the freeking Safeco Field. My police scanner is set up for S. Seattle et al, and this fire was barely a peep on it...

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alythepally said on July 24, 2011 at 3:47 PM

I know how everyone love to tell king 5 that they are morons and that they always get it wrong but Kirotv says its a 3 alarm as well. So maybe just maybe at the time the stories were written it was only a 3 alarm. I'm sitting in my office in Southcented and can see and smell the smoke. I hope no one was hurt. My heart goes out to those who lost everything is this disaster.

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tjenes said on July 24, 2011 at 3:38 PM

Where is Jim Foreman when you need him? He seems to be the only one who knows the difference between South Park, Boulevard Park and White Center. The first comment is correct; started about 2:15 and is indeed an 8 alarm fire... It's still smoking and burning...maybe these homeless people can move up North just a bit and get some attention?

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rubysodo said on July 24, 2011 at 3:20 PM

So King5 is wrong again. This is not the North Highline area, it is Boulevard Park and North Highline is miles up the road. It is not contained...at this point it has been burning for at least an hour. There are two cars in the parking lot also on fire. It is an 8 alarm fire...Seattle, Normandy Park, Renton, Highline, SeaTac, South Park are all here. It is the Lighthouse Mission Apartments. We smelled and saw rolling smoke before we heard any sirens.

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