15 Injured In Downtown Apartment Fire
The fire occurred at the Jensonia Hotel Apartments near 8th and Seneca in downtown Seattle.
Fire Department spokeswoman Helen Fitzpatrick said five women and three men were treated for smoke inhalation and taken to nearby Harborview Medical Center. Four other tenants were treated at the scene.
In addition, three firefighters suffered heat stress-related injuries and were also taken to Harborview. They were in good condition and were to be released later Wednesday.
"I heard this rumble or boom, a big noise," said Nick Lovelace, who lives in the building next door. He says the smoke was so bad, it set off his smoke alarm. "It was bad enough, you couldn't see through the smoke, it was thick and black."
The fire started in an apartment on the 6th floor, spread to the 7th floor, and then punched its way into the city skyline.
The Jensonia building maintenance manager, Darrell Owen, found the fire and started banging on doors. The 100 tenants -- many of them still in their pajamas -- had only seconds to get out.
"(You) fear for your life, when you're six or seven stories up," says Jason McKinney who lived on the fourth floor. "People on all sides of the building were crawling out on the ledge trying to get away from the smoke."
Firefighters plucked six people from their apartments or the rooftop.
For the tenants and firefighters, it was like deja vu. This is the second time in a week the building was evacuated because of fire. Last Thursday, a fire at the Jensonia sent three people to the hospital with smoke inhalation. That was started by someone smoking in bed in a second-floor apartment.
It's too much for Alyssa Colling. She's moving to Arizona.
"I'm scared as hell, I don't want to live there anymore," she said. "I was all excited that I'm leaving, and now I'm even more excited that I'm leaving," says Colling.
McKinney said: "It's just kinda skeptical -- two fires in a week, it makes you wonder how it started."
McKinney and his girlfriend Heather Young were prepared this time. With their backpacks at the ready they scrambled to get what's most important: their dog Bonaru, their scrapbook and a special photo.
"This is one of our favorite photos of a great time we spent together, how can you replace that," says Young.
While firefighters investigate the fire's cause, all the utilities have been turned off until Thursday. Tenants were allowed to go inside just to collect some personal items, but each has been given a Red Cross hotel voucher for the night.