Everett Fire Marshal Says Still No Official Cause of Fatal Hodges Apartment Fire

Everett Fire Marshal Rick Robinson gave a briefing to the Everett City Council tonight regarding Sunday’s fatal fire at the Hodges Apartments on Hewitt Avenue. Robinson said the fire was contained to an apartment on the 4th floor and primarily was a bedroom fire. The arriving supervisor on the scene could see flames coming the apartment and that it was not a survivable fire and ordered a second alarm. They attacked the fire from an aerial point of view and were able to contain the fire to the single apartment. The fire consumed most everything in the bedroom but did not spread beyond due to the doors being closed. Robinson said they know the area where the fire started in the bedroom but still do not have a cause for the fire. Robinson said a victim was located in the bedroom about an hour after the fire was reported. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner has not publicly identified the woman who died or given a cause and manner of death.

After Robinson’s presentation, Everett City Council member Brenda Stonecipher quizzed Robinson on the steps the city is taking with old buildings downtown and specifically the Hodges building. Robinson told her the condemnation of the building was not related to the fire. Stonecipher replied, “I will be surprised there isn’t some code violation that causes it.” Robinson continued explaining the due process requirements the city has to go through to get a building back up to code or to be condemned by a hearing examiner. Robinson told the council that fire crews were bothered that they were unable to save the person. “Tragedies like this affect us deeply,” said Robinson.