Lynnwood office building heavily damaged by fire
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Jeff Faddis / For The Herald
A firefighter sprays water to extinguish hot spots at the Cedar Valley Executive Offices in Lynnwood on Wednesday.
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Jeff Faddis / For The Herald
A firefighter sprays water to extinguish hot spots while support firefighters look on to help identify areas of possible flare ups. The fire gutted the Cedar Valley Executive Offices on Cedar Valley Road in Lynnwood on Wednesday.
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Jeff Faddis / For The Herald
A firefighter watches a water cannon spraying hot spots at the Cedar Valley Executive Offices in Lynnwood on Wednesday.
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Jeff Faddis / For The Herald
Firefighters spray water on a blaze that gutted the Cedar Valley Executive Offices in Lynnwood on Wednesday.
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Jeff Faddis / For The Herald
Firefighters spray water on the Cedar Valley Executive Offices in Lynnwood on Wednesday.
The fire broke out just before 2:50 p.m. in a two-story building along Cedar Valley Road, just south of 200th Street SW. The building houses a variety of businesses, including law offices, an insurance agency and the headquarters for a local biodiesel company.
About 30 people work there, witnesses said.
Many were in their offices as flames burst through the roof and walls.
The two-alarm fire brought firefighters from throughout south Snohomish County and Shoreline.
Firefighters quickly decided the conditions were too dangerous to go inside.
No serious injuries were reported, said Lynnwood police detective Sgt. Rodney Cohnheim.
The fire's cause was not immediately apparent.
"The investigation is really just in its infancy," Cohnheim said.
The building was quickly evacuated, said Angela Kemp, who works at English Insurance Group, which has offices inside.
Based on what she saw, it appeared the flames originated in the northeast corner of the structure, near the front door.
She and her coworker, Mandi Gray, grabbed their purses and fled. They had to crouch to avoid the smoke, Gray said.
"It was surreal," Kemp said.
Alan Kluth watched it all from across the street. Kluth, an assistant manager at Stoneway Electric Supply, called 911 when he saw flames, he said.
He saw some people move their cars out of the parking lot as the fire spread through the building and into nearby trees.
By 5 p.m., the neighborhood was under a pall of light white smoke, which drifted into residential areas to the south.
Damage to the building appeared extensive, including some collapsed walls.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com
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