Kirkland and Bothell firefighters responded to an apartment fire early Friday morning in the Juanita neighborhood.

Firefighters received the call at 1:43 a.m. and arrived to find a deck on fire with flames crawling up the side of the building. One resident was treated on scene for minor smoke inhalation and no firefighters were injured.

“The deck fire extended into the wall but the damage was confined to the outside of the building,” said acting Kirkland Fire Department Battalion Chief Capt. Ken Henderson. “We have deemed it an accident with no malicious intent.”

Henderson said that fire investigators believe it was caused by someone smoking on or near the deck, as cigarette butts were found close to the area.

The Kirkland Fire Department has been busy during the past few weeks.

“This is fourth or fifth fire we have had during the past week,” Henderson said. “But there is nothing that ties them together. The only real common factor is that it has been hot and dry.”

A Red Flag Warning was issued for Western Washington earlier this week. Red Flag Warnings are issued when conditions reach a dangerous level for wild fires during the excessive heat, dry conditions and high winds. But conditions for wild fires are the same in the city and lead to residential fires if people are not careful.

“Are people not being as careful?” Henderson said. “It is kind of an unknown. But our fire investigators are stressing to people to be more diligent and careful.”

 

Contact Kirkland Reporter Regional Assistant Editor Matt Phelps at mphelps@kirklandreporter.com or 425-822-9166 ext. 5052.

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