Capitol Hill Supermarket Destroyed By Fire

SEATTLE - Firefighters were keeping an eye on hotspots after a local grocery store went up in flames Sunday evening around 6 o’clock. Within minutes, the fire in the 100 block of Summit Avenue East was upgraded to two alarms and more than 80 firefighters were called to the scene.

The Hillcrest Supermarket and Deli was a total loss – even the roof was gone.

Sunday night food shopping turned tense after customers heard "popping" from inside the building then saw flames.

“There were three women that came running up and said “The store is on fire!” said customer Daniel Barnes. “We got out. Five minutes later, the whole place was engulfed in flames.”

It was a close call for shoppers, and too risky for firefighters. As firefighters tried to go inside, arcing electrical wires forced them back outside. So they fought it defensively and focused on protecting a four-story apartment building next door. Twenty residents there were evacuated.

However, everyone made it out of the store safely, and the apartment building was saved.

Seattle fire officials say it's going to be a while before they can get inside, which means it will be a while before we have any idea what caused the fire and reported explosions. They still have to make sure what’s left of the roof doesn’t collapse, and take care of the still-arcing electrical wires.

Also, traffic near the intersection of Summit and Olive Way is slow due to lane restrictions from the fire investigation.