Victim in Fatal New Year’s Eve Fire Identified, Cause Officially “Undetermined”

Editor’s Update Friday January 8th, 2:45 PM. Hand in Hand Kids a non-profit group is raising funds and providing assistance for the fire victims. You can donate at this link.

Today the Snohomish County Medical examiner identified the person who died in the fire at The Bluffs Apartments and the Everett Fire Department released its official findings.

First, the report from the M.E…

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office has completed the examination and identification of a 65-year old male who was involved in a fire on West Casino Road near Evergreen Way in Everett on December 31, 2015. The decedent is Mark A. Davis of Everett, WA. The cause of death is inhalation of soot and products of combustion. The manner of death is Accident.

Here’s the official release from the Everett Fire Department on the cause…

Everett fire and Police detectives are in the process of wrapping up their investigation of the Bluffs At Evergreen and have officially ruled the cause as undetermined.

“Our investigators conducted an extensive review of the scene and interviewed witnesses,” said Everett Fire Assistant Fire Marshal Eric Hicks. “Although we know the fire originated in a bedroom and started on a mattress we did not have enough evidence to come to a single conclusion, therefore this fire must be classified as undetermined.”

The building was not equipped with a fire sprinkler system or a fire detection system. According to Snohomish County records, the building was built in 1969 and was not required to have sprinklers at the time. All apartments are required to have smoke alarms in individual units and it is the resident’s responsibility to the replace batteries.

The American Red Cross and Hand in Hands continues to help families displaced by the fire.