Local

Queen Anne lumber company will rebuild after devastating fire

SEATTLE — UPDATE: Several sources close to the investigation tell KIRO 7 they believe the fire at Gascoigne Lumber in Queen Anne is suspicious.

Seattle Fire is now reviewing surveillance video from Seattle Pacific University that captured when the fire first erupted.

Dave Gascoigne of Gascoigne Lumber said the lumber storage shed where the fire started has no electricity or even any equipment.

“We’ve all done something wrong. But there are some things that are unforgivable. One is stealing a working man’s tools. Another would be burning down his tools right? We’re here to work. We’re here to make a living,” Gascoigne said.

Gascoigne said it will almost certainly need to relocate and is currently looking for other local property, but plans to resume operating as soon as possible.

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The buildings that make up Gascoigne Lumber have sat along Salmon Bay since 1909.  A four-alarm fire on Saturday night destroyed five of those buildings. Firefighters worked through the night, pouring water on what was left of the lumber business that has been in the Gascoigne family for nearly 60 years. No one was injured, all the more incredible given the damage to the area.

"I got the phone call last night 'like your sheds are completely engulfed,'" said Dave Gascoigne. "And it was like, I couldn't process that information."

Gascoigne said he watched KIRO7 Deedee Sun’s Facebook live Saturday night of the fire.

HUGE fire in Queen Anne (Seattle) just south of Fremont Bridge right now

Posted by Deedee Sun on Saturday, November 10, 2018

“Deedee, I saw your footage,” Gascoigne said. “And right at that moment you hear this BOOM! And a huge explosion of flame. And I’m going, that’s my fork lift!” he said.

Gascoigne is the third generation of his family to be involved in this business.  He and members of his family returned to the scene in mid-afternoon Sunday. He said they know all too well what Seattle firefighters faced.

"You're talking kiln-dried lumber that's completely dry," said Gascoigne. "We don't sell anything wet. So when it lights, it's 100 feet to the sky."

By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was fully involved. It quickly went to two alarms. And before long, a fourth alarm was pulled, too.

"We probably have at least half the city out here tonight," said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, as the city's firefighters battled  the fire Saturday night.

He said a fire of this magnitude took everything his department had to get it under control.

"We had water supply issues," he said. "When we're pumping this much water, we need a lot of volume and pressure to supply the number of major stream appliances that we have."

Still, no one was injured, something for which Gascoigne said he is grateful. He said they will rebuild.

"My dad's created a very good name for this company," said Gascoigne. "And so has my grandfather. And I have every intent of carrying that on. God has blessed us.  And I believe he'll continue to bless Gascoigne Lumber Company."

He said firefighters pointed out a shed where they think the fire may have started. It was filled with lumber, he said. There was no source of ignition in that shed.

But fire investigators said they don't yet know the cause. First, they have to make sure all of the hotspots are out. And that could take some time.