EVERETT, Wash. — Twelve people were forced from their homes early Sunday morning when a duplex in Everett caught on fire.
It happened on Howard Avenue around 1:30 a.m.
No one was hurt.
Several people called 911 to report the fire, saying flames were coming from the building, the backyard, and the porch.
Firefighters started dousing the building with water before moving inside the building to ensure no one was trapped.
Everyone managed to escape.
Firefighters brought the fire under control in about 15 minutes after the first engine arrived.
The fire caused extensive damage to both sides of the duplex. Two cars were also damaged.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Everett Fire Marshal’s Office. It is too early to know what caused the fire, according to the department.
This incident serves as a reminder to our community that working smoke alarms are the first line of defense in a fire, especially overnight when people are sleeping. Smoke alarms give families critical time to evacuate safely. Families should also have a home escape plan with two ways out of each room and the home, and a designated meeting place outside. Practice the plan with everyone in the household so each person knows what to do in an emergency,” the department shared.