SEATTLE — A fire that injured three people at a Seattle Housing Authority building on First Avenue Thursday morning was ruled incendiary.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) responded to the fire at Bell Tower, located on the 2200 block of First Avenue, around 2:45 a.m. An SFD spokesperson said the fire started in the lobby of the high-rise residential building.
Crews were able to put the fire out in about 45 minutes. Around 12:30 p.m., SFD said the fire was ruled "incendiary," which means it was intentionally set.
The Seattle Police Department's Arson and Bomb Squad is investigating the incident. Detectives urge anyone with information about this case to call 1-800-55-ARSON or email SFD_FIU@Seattle.gov.
Firefighters rescued an approximately 50-year-old man who was found in the bathroom lobby of the building. The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
A 68-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Multiple floors of the apartment building were evacuated due to unsafe conditions. The SFD said evacuated residents were able to shelter in a King County Metro bus before being able to return to their homes several hours later.
All lanes of First Avenue between Lenora and Bell streets were closed for several hours before reopening to traffic around 6:30 a.m.
Download our free KING 5 app to stay up-to-date on news stories from across western Washington.