LAKEWOOD, Wash. — An entire apartment complex in Lakewood was evacuated after a fire broke out there early Monday.
The two-alarm fire at the Pacific Ridge Apartments on Lincoln Avenue Southwest started shortly after 2 a.m.
KIRO 7 News video shows flames shooting from the roof.
Firefighters say several people were evaluated by paramedics and at least one person was taken to the hospital.
At least 16 apartments were damaged.
Thirty to 40 people were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross is assisting.
“Everybody was evacuated. Neighbors were knocking on each other’s doors and getting everybody out. They really worked together,” Capt. Lance Nelson, West Pierce Fire and Rescue.
“I open the door and the smoke starts billowing, so I run back into the house and I wake everybody up and tell them to get outside,” said Brian Tucker, apartment resident.
“It was terrifying, you don’t even know where to look, where to run, when to do or how to react, it was terrifying, I would never want somebody to go through that,” said Samantha Kenward, apartment resident.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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