SEATTLE — A vacant apartment building fire in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood created a massive cloud of smoke early Friday morning.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) first shared on social media that it was responding to the flames in the 1700 block of Belmont Avenue inside a three-story building. Shortly after, Seattle Fire shared that the response was upgraded after the fire extended to the building behind the vacant building.
The department says the roof of the original building that caught fire is at risk of collapse, leading Seattle crews to take up a defensive position and get water into the building from a safe distance.
SFD says nearby residents and businesses in the area should close windows and doors as large clouds of smoke emanate from the burned buildings.
KING 5 spoke with a resident of a building across from the one that caught fire, who explained what he came across Friday morning.
"I think I got woken up by the fire alarm or something like that, but I got up and I look out my window and see a wall of flames right in front of me," said Will. "It was a huge shock to see that."
Will said he grabbed his essentials and got out of his building as quickly as possible. Quite a few people were out on the street below the burning buildings, having evacuated from their units.
Fire officials say one person was treated at the scene for minor injuries, and no initial reports on the possible cause of the fire have been given.
In Seattle, vacant building fires have been on the rise over the last few years. The city says there were 77 vacant building fires in 2021, more than 90 in 2022, and 130 last year. The city council recently passed an ordinance that aims to fast-track the process for abating and demolishing vacant buildings.
The building on Belmont Ave. was not on Seattle Fire Department’s dangerous buildings list, according to a SFD spokesperson.
“We have not had to exercise the new legislation as of yet. Property owners have been cooperating with the city. In the case of today’s fire, the property owner is working with the city to begin demolishment of the structure,” the spokesperson said.