Waterfront Fire Likely Not Caused By Criminal Act

Investigators today released the scene of last weeks fire on West Marine View Drive back to the property owners. While they say there is still work to do, a report issued Thursday by Everett Fire Department said it did not appear criminal activity was to blame.

Here is the press release:

Fire investigators and detectives have completed the majority of the onsite work at the Waterfront Place Apartments fire and have released the scene back to the property owners. Although the fire is still under investigation, and there is work to be completed to bring all of the pieces together, preliminary findings do not suggest there is any criminal activity associated with the fire cause.

The magnitude of this fire scene required extra personal and resources to ensure a proper and thorough investigation. Thank you to the Everett Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF), the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory Division (CLD), and several neighboring fire agencies for providing mutual aid to help process the fire scene in a timelier manner. Everett Fire Marshal Kurtis Brown would also like to recognize the onsite construction company, Graham, for their cooperation and the use of their personnel and equipment to aid in the onsite work.

As stated in the previous news release, an early conservative estimate of damages for just the site of the primary fire is between $25-30 million. Damage estimates for the north structure on the property, areas outside of the initial fire zone, and damage to homes and property in the area are still being calculated.

A second firefighter was injured, also with minor burns to his hands. He was treated and released at the hospital on the same night.

Of the 53 fire apparatus at the scene of the fire, there were 28 suppression apparatus, such as fire engines and ladder trucks, 7 EMS apparatus, and the remainder falling under a miscellaneous category.

The cost of the three fire apparatus damaged in the fire – a ladder truck, a fire engine, and an aid car – is still being assessed.

The Everett Fire Department would like to recognize the residents and community members who took mitigating actions to protect their property and the property of their neighbors. At the same time, firefighters battled the blaze at the construction site and secondary fires ignited by falling burning debris.

We want to thank all the mutual aid agencies who assisted with protecting the lives and properties of our residents and who responded to 9-1-1 calls for service while our department resources and personnel battled this four-alarm fire.

Any further updates will be released as they become available.