Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, July 6, 2009

Costly Fourth of July: At least four homes burn because of fireworks

By Katya Yefimova
Herald Writer

 Fireworks touched off destructive blazes that blackened at least four homes and caused more than $1 million in damage in Snohomish County over the Fourth of July weekend, officials said.

Investigators are working to determine what caused yet another fire that damaged a Lake Stevens home early Sunday.

Meanwhile, at least three people, including a 7-year-old boy, were injured by fireworks, fire officials said.

Fire crews across the county rushed from one call to the next Saturday and Sunday, struggling with brush fires along with the structural blazes.

Calls picked up as the Fourth wound down, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said. Crews rushed late Saturday to a house in the 14900 block of 44th Avenue W north of Lynnwood. They found flames rising from the back of the split-level home.

Neighbors told firefighters no one had been living at the house for some time. The loss was estimated at $100,000. The homeowners don't have insurance, Hynes said.

Crews were mopping up just after 11 p.m. when another fire broke out in the 4200 block of 105th Place SE, east of Everett, Hynes said.

The homeowners and a guest were watching TV when they smelled smoke. They called 911 after discovering the roof of their two-story home on fire.

The fire burned through the roof and a large portion of the attic. Water damaged other parts of the house, Hynes said. The loss was estimated at $150,000.

Snohomish County Red Cross volunteers helped the two adults displaced by the fire, Red Cross spokesman Kris Krischano said.

Crews were still fighting hot spots about midnight when they were dispatched to another blaze about two miles north, between Lake Stevens and Snohomish, Hynes said.

Firefighters found the cedar-shake roof of a 4,600-square-foot home in the 9500 block of 36th Street SE engulfed in flames. No one was home at the time.

"That was unbelievable, when we pulled up there. There was just so much fire," Hynes said.

The house was already heavily damaged when crews arrived, Hynes said. They had to attack the blaze from the outside. The fire caused at least $1 million in damage. Crews from four fire departments responded, Hynes said.

Investigators from the Snohomish County Fire Marshal's office determined all three fires were caused by fireworks, as well as a blaze in Marysville earlier Saturday afternoon. In that incident, three people were left homeless. Two dozen firefighters battled the blaze.

Fireworks sparked other fires throughout the county this holiday weekend. Crews in Snohomish County Fire District 7 knocked down several small brush fires and a small fire outside a home in the 21500 block of 99th Avenue SE in Snohomish, Battalion Chief Bill Wirtz said. No one was hurt.

"A lot of people use illegal fireworks and don't consider the consequences" Hynes said. "These three fires show that there can in fact be consequences."

Investigators still didn't know Sunday evening whether fireworks were to blame for a blaze that damaged a Lake Stevens home. Crews rushed to a single-family home in the 11900 block of N Lakeshore Drive about midnight, Lake Stevens Fire Department Battalion Chief Travis Hots said.

They found the home's roof engulfed in flames. Cars parked on the street made it difficult for crews to get their equipment in, Hots said It took firefighters 20 minutes to knock down the fire. People living at the house had to find shelter elsewhere, he said.

Officials reported that at least three people were injured by fireworks.

Just south of Everett, a man and a woman were hurt when they were struck by fireworks tossed from a passing car just after 10 p.m. Saturday in the area of 124th Street SW and Gibson Road.

The man suffered serious injuries to his leg when the fireworks exploded, Hynes said. Medics drove both people to a hospital in Everett.

In another incident, a 7-year-old boy in Brier was hit in the chest by fireworks, Hynes said. He was not seriously hurt.

Across the Northwest, dry, hot weather wreaked havoc. A wildfire larger than 120 acres has been burning in the Ross Lake area of North Cascades National Park for at least a week, park spokeswoman Kerry Olson said.

But forecasters predict cooler temperatures this week will bring relief. Cool marine air already began moving into Western Washington Sunday night, said Jay Albrecht, a meteorologist with National Weather Service in Seattle.

"We are expecting conditions to cool down significantly," he said. "We are getting that marine air to flood into the area."

Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA