Fire caused by fireworks forces nearly 2 dozen people from their homes

SEATTLE — A fire caused by fireworks forced 22 people, including children, from their homes Saturday evening in West Seattle.

Firefighters said the fireworks caused a brush fire, which then spread to an apartment building, located in the 7100 block of California Avenue Southwest.

Before firefighters arrived, a person watching the flames roar yelled out, “If there’s anybody in that apartment, get out!”

When firefighters arrived, they found shrubs and apartment balconies on fire.

A resident of the apartment building said she was at the park with her kids when the fire started and was in disbelief when she returned. “It’s really scary,” she said, “Roads were blocked. There were five – six fighters.”

“Saw what was a huge puff of smoke all of sudden,” said Kyle Visner, a neighbor who lived nearby and called 911.

“We first, we were how far are we away, and the second thought was, ‘Was it fireworks?’ And it was certainly disappointing to see that and to see so many people. We heard people screaming, ‘Get out the building!’ And you just wonder are people are OK.”

Now, neighbors are left with grabbing what they can.

Firefighters didn’t say what type of fireworks caused the fire, but estimated the fire caused $100,000 in damage.

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