SEATTLE — Investigators are looking for who might be responsible for a massive fire that destroyed a construction site in Columbia City.
The fire happened July 13 in the 3300 block of Claremont Ave S. No one was injured, but the fire spread to a home and displaced one resident. SFD said in its initial release that the fire took more than 70 firefighters to put out.
The Arson Alarm Foundation is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to arrests in this case. The Seattle Police Department is now investigating.
Meanwhile, residents in the area are still dealing with the aftermath of the fire, two weeks later.
Simon Sandh said he wasn't at home the night of the fire but returned in the morning to find his home had been severely damaged.
"I think it's someone's worst nightmare to think that you're going to come home and your house is on fire; I mean, even though my house wasn't on fire, it's pretty close," Sandh said.
All of the front siding melted off Sandh's pale turquoise house. Due to the heat, it became deformed, and some even fell off.
"You can see all of it and the insulation from underneath the siding is all melted," Sandh said, pointing. "Parts of my windows are coming apart because of the excessive heat that was here."
His front door had been screwed shut after firefighters knocked it down during evacuations.
"They didn't know no one was home so were very worried that the fire would spread, so they were evacuating the areas nearby and so they knocked in my door to make sure no one was there so it was for everyone's safety," Sandh explained.
At the construction site itself, a red "ARSON" poster announces a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
cMAC, the property's owner, said the seven-unit townhome was for charity. They were going to donate the proceeds of the sale to the Seattle Sounders' RAVE foundation.
Now, with that intent up in flames and the intersection of Claremont and Walden laid bare, Sandh, the new homeowner, says he'll be more watchful.
"I'm really worried about what's going to happen here because now it's going to be another empty lot where who knows what's going to happen and what other kind of vandalism is going to come around because another empty lot is here," Sandh said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-55-ARSON.