UPDATE: ‘Suspicious’ fire at 3000 SW Avalon Way condominiums

(WSB photos)
4:59 AM: Now there’s a second major fire call: This time, to an ~~apartment~~ building at 3000 SW Avalon Way (map). “Heavy smoke” reported on the first floor; they’re closing Avalon. Updates to come.

5:04 AM: Via scanner, we heard fire crews saying they’ve “pulled a burning five-gallon bucket” out of the building and are slowing down the rest of the response.

5:07 AM: This fire is reported to be under control and firefighters are working on building ventilation, one floor at a time.

5:18 AM: Scanner: This is being described as “suspicious.” An investigator’s on the way.

5:20 AM: They’re calling this fire “tapped.” Also: This is a condominium building, NOT apartments – City View West Condominiums, to be specific. 16-unit building.

5:24 AM: No word of any injuries here, either. Some SFD units are being canceled. The incident commander confirms it’s being investigated as “suspicious” and says the materials that originated the fire were found in a stairwell.

5:36 AM: SFD confirms no one was hurt.

7:46 AM: In the photo above are SPD arson investigators who were called out to help look into the cause.

Lola June 7, 2015 (6:09 am)

Woke up early as house was hot. Opened up the doors to cool off and heard fire trucks all morning. I knew the WS blog would be on it.

So sad that someone would want to start a fire where a lot of people live, glad it did not turn into something tragic.

~Hockeywitch~ June 7, 2015 (11:11 am)

I agree with Lola. I live in an apartment building where one of the residents sons set her car on fire because she wouldn’t sell it. The fire department came, put out the fire told Lance that he had to have the car moved in two weeks because of the arson hazard. Two weeks to the day of the first fire, he set the car on fire again. and this time it caught my apartment building on fire and we are

Hassan June 7, 2015 (3:43 pm)

What a way to start my Sunday off. Once again issues after issues something as little as a 5-6 channel camera system which cost a little under 600.00, to make sure the 16 families who live here are safe, security here sucks no building mgr available at the time of the fire, owner never answers his phone it’s been 2 yrs n not sure how much longer we can hold it out here!

Kacie June 7, 2015 (6:39 pm)

Apparently there was a homeless man that was squating in the stairwell. Police were called on him late last night. I’m pretty sure he’s the one who did this seeing as he busted the door to the stairwell open previous to the police call. We can’t point fingers, it’s just the only thing that’d make sense. We need better security definitely and nobody could get ahold of the landlord this morning or afternoon. We’ve been calling all day and leaving messages, still no response. As of now the door downstairs are wide open and should be closed so others can’t come in, but it does need to be aired out. The only time I’ve seen the landlord was when he came to check the firealarms about a month ago and today they weren’t what woke me up. I could barely even hear them as I was evacuating the building.

WSB June 7, 2015 (6:43 pm)

Police mentioned investigating something about someone having been caught trespassing earlier but we have not yet received the official final report from SPD/SFD. Is this not a condominium (each unit individually owned) building? Just wondering as that’s what the sign said and the property records, so I changed our description from “apartments” to “condominiums,” but multiple people now are mentioning a “landlord.”

Kacie June 7, 2015 (7:11 pm)

One man, our Landlord, owns I believe the majority of units.. I don’t know of anyone else who actually owns any of the units as their own. He also lives out of the city so visits are seldom and usually short.

Kacie June 7, 2015 (8:48 pm)

So I just found out that there are a couple other owners. The tenants are currently in contact with them and they are supposed to come out at some point. I don’t know exactly when but I assume in the next couple days.