Update: Highland Park duplex fire, nobody hurt; caused by ‘improperly discarded smoking materials’

| Highland Park | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(UPDATED THURSDAY with fire’s cause, damage estimate)

(WSB photo by Katie Meyer)
12:21 PM: Now there’s another fire call in Highland Park – this one for a house in the 7500 block of 11th SW (map). First crews on the scene are seeing smoke.

12:26 PM UPDATE: Fire crews say the house is fully engulfed in flames. Per scanner, they’re saying they’ve been told no one is inside. It’s a duplex and they report the fire is “knocked down.”

(This photo and next by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
1:10 PM UPDATE: WSB’s Katie Meyer confirms from the scene that everyone got out OK, including a cat and dog. Firefighters are still working to figure out how the fire started.

2:04 PM UPDATE: Also from the scene, WSB’s Christopher Boffoli reports that SFD plans to keep a crew there on “fire watch” in case it rekindles.

ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore says the investigation determined the fire was caused by “improperly discarded smoking materials, discarded into a couch. The damage estimate is $60,000 to the structure and $10,000 to the contents.”

Annamarie July 9, 2014 (12:29 pm)

I’m at Highland Park & Holden and you can really smell the smoke. I hope no one is hurt.

AmyB July 9, 2014 (12:31 pm)

I’ve been hearing the sirens go by. Multiple fire and emergency vehicles. I live off of 16th and Holden

Jennifer July 9, 2014 (1:49 pm)

I was eating lunch with the soccer campers across the street at Riverview Playfield when the fire broke out. Kudos to the U.K. coaches for keeping all the kids safe and well away from the fire.

Kay K July 10, 2014 (9:26 am)

So sad for the owner. I’m glad no one was injured. The fire department did a terrific job putting out the fire without destroying more of the structure than they had to. Hopefully the east side of the house didn’t sustain too much damage.

cjboffoli July 10, 2014 (11:47 am)

Improperly extinguished cigarettes are the number one cause of fire-related deaths in the US and the third most common cause of house fires. Another great reason to quit smoking.

Brian July 10, 2014 (1:44 pm)

The use of the phrase ‘smoking materials’ makes me think it’s from something other than tobacco.

WSB July 10, 2014 (1:48 pm)

Brian – they *always* use that phrase in SFD cause reports, never “cigarette” or “pipe” or “cigar” (or anything else, for that matter).

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