Local

Arson investigation underway for five fires in 20-minute span in Tukwila

TUKWILA, Wash. — Arson investigators are looking into five suspicious fires that broke out in a 20-minute span in Tukwila.

“These are suspicious in nature because they were all so close together and really separate fires, but closely associated,” Tukwila Fire Chief Jay Wittwer said.

Wittwer said the first call came in at 2:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Firefighters received a report of a commercial vehicle fire on Industry Drive.

The vehicle belonged to ProShred Seattle, a mobile paper-shredding company owned by Natalie LaBerge. She said the truck, which contained the machinery necessary to shred documents, will cost about $250,000 to replace.

“Your first thought is, ‘Could this be targeted at us, specifically? Is there anything we did?’ But no, this is just a random event that it sounds like they went to a series of different locations,” LaBerge said. “It was just an arson(ist) doing what arson(ist)s do.”

Wittwer said as firefighters were putting out the fire at ProShred Seattle, another fire broke out a short distance away.

“They saw another column (of smoke),” Wittwer said. “Shortly after that, two more fires (broke out) not far from (that) location.”

No injuries were reported at any of the fires.

“If you want to start fires and cause damage in this region, know that we’re going to come and find you,” Wittwer said. “If you see something, say something. Report it. We are seeing many suspicious fires all across the region.”