KIRKLAND, Wash. — One house was a complete loss and another sustained significant damage after a fire broke out in Kirkland early Tuesday morning - however, thanks to the quick actions of an observant night owl, no one was hurt.
The Kirkland Fire Department was called to the 13000 block of 129th Avenue Northeast at around 2 a.m. due to a report of a house fully engulfed in flames. The fire had also spread to the neighbor's home.
The 911 call came from Kyle Eskelin, who lives across the street. The self-described night owl was up watching TV when he heard a strange noise, then noticed an orange glow from across the street.
"I ran down there, looked out the window, and the neighbor's house was completely on fire," Eskelin said.
The house where the fire originated is unoccupied and undergoing renovations. Eskelin then noticed that the fire had spread to the adjacent neighbor's house - who just so happens to be his girlfriend's.
"It was a very frightening moment - especially seeing her house on fire," Eskelin said. "You know, the love of my life, sitting there, sleeping away."
Eskelin grabbed his fire extinguisher, dialed 911 and ran across the street to wake up his girlfriend and her daughter, who were still sleeping. The smoke detectors hadn't gone off in the home. The two were able to get to safety. The garage and the attic of the home sustained damage during the fire.
"He's amazing," said homeowner, and Eskelin's girlfriend, Michelle Landwehr. "He saved us both."
Eskelin also ran to the home on the other side of the fully engulfed house to alert those neighbors - but thankfully their home was spared. He described the fire itself as fast-moving and intense.
"It was the craziest thing I've ever seen," Eskelin said.
Eskelin and Landwehr met four years ago when they both started working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have been together ever since.
"It's incredible that we were able to meet - and who would have thought that he would save my life one day? Both of our lives," Landwehr said.
Eskelin said Landwehr makes fun of him for staying up so late, but now both of them are grateful for his night-owl tendencies.
"In this case, it was a blessing," Eskelin said.