25th Anniversary of Everett Firefighter’s Death to be Marked February 16th at Everett Community College

The City of Everett and Everett Community College will hold a remembrance of Everett Firefighter Gary Parks at 3pm Thursday February 16th.

Parks was killed 25 years ago, Feb. 16, 1987, while battling an arson fire that destroyed more than 40,000 books and the entire Everett Community College library and student union. Two years after the fire, a new library and student center were constructed and then named in honor of Parks.

The remembrance event will be at Everett Community College’s Baker Hall Room 120. There will also be a reception immediately following hosted by IAFF Local 46.

Speakers include Mayor Ray Stephanson, Fire Chief Murray Gordon, EvCC President David Beyer, former college president Bob Drewel and members of Gary Park’s family.

The fire was ruled an arson and while many have speculated that the blaze was caused by a particular person who was later convicted of setting multiple fires in Everett and Seattle, no arrests were ever made.