TUKWILA, Wash. — A large fire broke out at a Somali grocery store in Tukwila on Friday morning and escalated to a second alarm, meaning about 40 firefighters were on the scene, before it was extinguished.
When firefighters arrived, they found a fire on the first and second floors of Sophiya Halal Mini Market located near Tukwila International Boulevard and South 146th Street.
Nobody was in the building when firefighters arrived, Puget Sound Fire Public Information Officer Division Chief Pat Pawlak said. However, one person escaped the building before crews arrived. That individual suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.
According to Puget Sound Fire, the blaze appears to have started on the exterior at the back of the building. The fire was controlled and extinguished in approximately an hour. Firefighters then worked on putting out hotspots within the building.
Due to the two-alarm nature of the fire, Port of Seattle Fire, King County Fire District 2 and Zone Three Fire Cadets were on the scene, said Pawlak. King County Medic One was also there to provide rehab and safety services for the firefighters.
Fire investigators will take over to determine the cause of the fire once the building is deemed ventilated and safe.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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