Motorcycle fire sparks blaze at Seattle apartment building
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SEATTLE - A motorcycle fire ignited a blaze that spread through a four-story apartment building a few blocks north of Northgate on Friday, fire officials said.
Crews responded to the scene, in the 11700 block of 15th Avenue NE, just before 11 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about the blaze.
All residents of the complex were evacuated. There were no reports of injuries, but six units were damaged and at least five residents were displaced.
The blaze reportedly started as a motorcycle fire that spread to nearby cars in the building's parking area and from there to several units on one side of the complex, said Kyle Moore of the Seattle Fire Department.
Aerial footage showed flames and smoke pouring from the upper story on one side of the structure before firefighters brought the blaze under control.
"I just saw a bunch of smoke and flames and fire trucks everywhere and people going crazy. It was pretty nuts," said witness Kyle McNary. "You could smell it, definitely. ... It's pretty shocking."
One resident, Leanne White, said she was at work when she heard about the blaze. She immediately thought of her dog trapped inside the building.
"I rushed over here, and I’ve been hysterical ever since I got her back," she said. "I saw pictures online and I freaked out. I was like, 'There’s no way she survived.'"
But as it turned out, her dog, Fiona, did survive the fire - even though her unit is on the side of the building that most heavily damaged.
"I don’t know that I have a home, but I’ve got my dog. Thank God," she said. "I was shaking the whole way, but I have what matters. I have my dog back, and nothing else matters. Everything else can be replaced."
Crews responded to the scene, in the 11700 block of 15th Avenue NE, just before 11 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about the blaze.
All residents of the complex were evacuated. There were no reports of injuries, but six units were damaged and at least five residents were displaced.
The blaze reportedly started as a motorcycle fire that spread to nearby cars in the building's parking area and from there to several units on one side of the complex, said Kyle Moore of the Seattle Fire Department.
Aerial footage showed flames and smoke pouring from the upper story on one side of the structure before firefighters brought the blaze under control.
"I just saw a bunch of smoke and flames and fire trucks everywhere and people going crazy. It was pretty nuts," said witness Kyle McNary. "You could smell it, definitely. ... It's pretty shocking."
One resident, Leanne White, said she was at work when she heard about the blaze. She immediately thought of her dog trapped inside the building.
"I rushed over here, and I’ve been hysterical ever since I got her back," she said. "I saw pictures online and I freaked out. I was like, 'There’s no way she survived.'"
But as it turned out, her dog, Fiona, did survive the fire - even though her unit is on the side of the building that most heavily damaged.
"I don’t know that I have a home, but I’ve got my dog. Thank God," she said. "I was shaking the whole way, but I have what matters. I have my dog back, and nothing else matters. Everything else can be replaced."
"Flames shot up the side of the building like a marathon runner out of the gate" Hmmm, so the flames immediately looked down to the wrist watch and started the stopwatch?
http://www.goerieblogs.com/sports/runnersnotes/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/spt-marathon2.jpg
First of all calling people fools without knowing anything about them is beyond rude when there is a tragedy like this. Second, it is a condo building not an apartment building as being reported so renters insurance isn't even an issue unless there was a renter in any of those units. How about people take the time to comment about how much their hearts go out to the people who lost their homes and possibly their pets rather than fixating on petty comments that do nothing but make the writer feel good about themselves at the expense of others who might be actually affected by this sad event?
@Seattleatheart"....How about people take the time to comment about how much their hearts go out to the people who lost their homes and possibly their pets rather than fixating on petty comments that do nothing but make the writer feel good about themselves......" Â Â Â
 In other words, people like yourself, eh?  Who made you policeman of the comment world?Â
Bet it was a harley.
@Klondiko not a harley good try though.
Glad she got her dog out - I agree with her, she got what was important, everything else can be replaced.
wow - tough break....
I bet the motorcycle owner feels like an ass.
@SwampThing the news has it wrong. not even the fire investigator knows what actually caused the fire for sure
looks like vinyl siding and codes SHOULD BE cement board in multi units to protect occupants from getting burn't out of their units
Oh dear, I hope everyone got out safely.
Shouldn't that building have collapsed? It looks way more burned out than WTC 7 did.
@Wolfeel This one wasn't wired with explosives!
@WhatdidIsay? Had a gas tank. They explode.
I hope every one is safe and they all had renters insurance
@Exiled_Patriot Most people don't have renters insurance so I doubt any do. At least they are safe.
@the tide  Well if you doubt they do, then that is certainly the case...
@the tide @undefined well most renters insurance is around 45 to 80 dollars a month or cheaper. Having renters insurance replaces what is lost in a fire and other disasters. fools not to have it.