Cause of Everett apartment complex fire under investigation

Published 6:45 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2015

EVERETT — The cause of a May 30 apartment complex fire in Everett remains under investigation.

The fire appears to have started in the kitchen of one of the units, city Fire Marshal Rick Robinson said Tuesday. A barbecue was being stored in the kitchen, but it’s unclear whether that was a factor when the fire broke out, he said.

The woman who lived in the apartment said the barbecue wasn’t in use. It had been brought inside while a deck was being painted.

An Everett police Facebook post over the weekend mischaracterized the status of the investigation, saying the barbecue was the cause.

A private insurance investigator and the fire department continue to compare notes, Robinson said. So far, there is not enough information to pinpoint an exact cause, he said.

The fire was reported at 7:06 p.m. in the 11000 block of 7th Ave. SE. Nearly 30 people were displaced. No one was hurt.