BREMERTON, Wash. — Flames roared through Bremerton’s Edgewood Villa apartments Monday afternoon, gutting 16 apartment units in a fire tenants believe was caused by a burning cigarette left on a balcony.
Bremerton Fire Chief Al Duke told KIRO 7 investigators had not conclusively determined the cause of the fire Monday night because they wanted to interview the tenant who lives in the unit where the fire started. As of Monday night, that man had not been located.
At least 13 people lost everything they owned in the fire and were being sheltered in a local church by the Kitsap County Red Cross.
Several tenants who live in the building told KIRO 7 they were alerted by loud cracking sounds as the balcony on the second floor burned.
Amanda Draxler said she could hear the cracking sounds inside her apartment and they may have saved her life.
“I poked my head out of my screen door and looked up and the whole deck was engulfed in flames," said Draxler, who said she and the apartment's manager banged on doors before the manager fought the flames with a garden hose.
“I was like, OK, get my stuff, get out and try to help other people get out," said Draxler.
Firefighters made sure every tenant had escaped the flames before retrieving animals. “There were several pets that were rescued by fire crews," said deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Pritchard.
Two cats were rescued, according to firefighters.
One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and had to be taken to the hospital, according to Duke.
“It was at the peak of the hottest time of the day so wearing all the gear and everything it's real easy to get dehydrated and have heat exhaustion," Duke said.
Duke said he expects investigators to narrow down the fire’s cause by Tuesday.
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