After 3-alarm fire in Everett, questions about needing more firefighters

Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire Thursday night at an apartment complex on Colby Avenue.

The fire started shortly after 10 p.m. in the 2200 block of Colby.

Two people were taken from the scene to a hospital, Everett Fire Assistant Fire Marshal Steve Goforth said.

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Some people, such as resident Karla Vera, had to jump from their second-floor balconies to safety.

"We heard like a big boom, like a big explosion, and that's when we saw the fire, and flames and everything," said Vera.

According to officials, one is a senior-aged woman who suffered from smoke inhalation. Her status is unknown. The second is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after jumping from the balcony. 

Her family members told KIRO7 Friday night that she's still in the hospital, unresponsive. They say she's on a breathing machine and needs a feeding tube.

A second woman is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after jumping from the balcony.

The fire was at the Colby Square Apartments. Responders were having problems dealing with power lines and were performing CPR on someone in front of the complex, Goforth said. 

A total of 20 residents have to find other places to stay because all14 units at the apartment are uninhabitable.

KIRO 7 found out Friday that a fire engine closest to the apartment complex was not in service when flames erupted.
 
Fire Engine 3 is stationed at Fire Station 1 – less than a mile away from the Colby Apartments. But under former Mayor Ray Stephanson's directive, the engine was "browned out" or not staffed, to reduce firefighter overtime costs.
 
The Everett firefighters union has been fighting that move and in fact, just sent a letter to city council members Thursday – less than 12 hours before the fire broke out - to request Engine 3 be back up and running.
 
The union says it comes down to the city needing to hire more firefighters.
 
Goforth said he's not sure if having that engine in service would've made a difference in the Colby Apartments fire, but he says even adding a minute to a response time, can have a huge impact.
 
But it has others wondering if the damage might've been mitigated if Engine 3 had responded
 
"I can kind of get the city doesn't have money for it or whatever, but then you have stuff like this happen, you've got a truck not in service that could've been here," said Don Luster, a neighbor. "What's the cost of a human life?"
 
Everett Mayor-Elelct elect Cassie Franklin says said the city will take a closer look at the Engine 3 issue and work with firefighters and fire management to develop a plan that would address staffing and operations.
 
The apartments were built in 1955 and had smoke detectors, but no fire alarm that would've directly alerted the fire department. The department says because of the size of the building, a centralized fire alarm in the building was not required and the building was up to code.
 
The building's owner says at least two cats died in the fire.

Cox Media Group