Firefighters moved all material that caught fire to the street. Residents sifted through the charred pyre of their possessions after the frenzied conflagration.
April 6 -- At approximately 9:30 a.m., over 12 units and at least 40 Seattle Fire Department personnel responded to a fire at the Telemark Apartment complex (2850 N.W. 56th St.) in Ballard.
By the time SFD arrived the inferno was blasting out from a second story window. According to Battalion Chief, Paul Atwater, firefighters had trouble finding the unit that was burning when they first entered the building. He said that the heat and smoke were "intense." Once they found the unit, they were able to knock the fire back before the flames spread to other apartment units.
As a precaution, firefighters removed all material that caught fire to prevent smoldering and restarting the flame. Charred boots, books, clothing and a master's thesis smoldered in the pile.
Photo by Shane Harms
In a fire such as this, SFD personnel remain at the scene for another 10 hours after the flame is extinguished to ensure it does not restart.
The Telemark has 24 units, and no tenants were injured during the fire. The two residents of the apartment that caught fire are staying with family while repairs are made.
Chief Atwater said the cause of the fire was electrical.
