Judd & Black Building Was Older Than Everett

Editor’s Update 6:00 PM: Investigators with Everett Police and Everett Fire spent hours looking for the cause and origin of the fire. The on-site work is done but there are still more things investigators have to follow up on and Assistant Everett Fire Marshal Steve Goforth says they have not come up with any conclusions or ruled anything in or out. There is now a fence around the building and while Maple Street is closed Hewitt Avenue is open to the on-ramp for the U.S. 2 trestle eastbound.

Editors Update 12:45 PM: Investigators have been on scene for several hours. Everett Fire Chief Dave DeMarco released a statement a short time ago saying, “It is too soon to know how the fire started. Investigators are on scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire.” The response to the fire was two-alarm with a third alarm called to provide staffing for fire stations across the city. Mutual aid was provided by Maryville Fire District, Naval Station Everett, South Snohomish County Fire and Rescue, Snohomish County Fire District #4 and #22. Street closures remain in place on the West and South side of the structure. Maple Street between Hewitt Avenue and California Street will remain closed for an indefinite amount of time. The 3000 block of Hewitt Avenue, eastbound onto the Hewitt Avenue Trestle, is currently closed, but crews are working hard to have it open as soon as possible.

8:45 AM Update: Today investigators will begin going over the Judd & Black building at 3301 Hewitt to try to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed the building last night.

Flames were reported from the back corner of the building around 7:30 PM. The fire rapidly grew to a two-alarm response and crews with Everett Fire have been out all night putting out hot spots.

Hewitt Avenue remains closed eastbound at Maple.

While Everett is celebrating 125 years, the building that housed Judd & Black is actually 126 years old.

According to Historic Everett the Bast building was built in 1892. It housed many businesses prior to Judd & Black including a pharmacy and reportedly was also home to a brothel at one time.

At this time there is no damage estimate or cause for the fire. The good news is there were no injuries.

Here are some photos of the aftermath this morning. We will update as information becomes available.

Click photo to enlarge.