LYNNWOOD — Arson caused an estimated $200,000 damage to a tobacco shop and a restaurant north of Lynnwood early Wednesday morning, officials said.
A passerby flagged down a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy, who reported the fire around 2:45 a.m., Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
The building is in the 13900 block of Highway 99, north of the Mukilteo Speedway.
When firefighters arrived, they could see smoke from the eaves and flames on the back side of the single-story building, which houses the Tobacco Source and Macchu Picchu Peruvian Restaurant.
Both businesses were closed and no one was inside the building when the fire broke out. There were no injuries.
Firefighters from District 1 and the Mukilteo Fire Department controlled the fire in about 15 minutes, Hynes said.
The fire caused heavy damage to a storage room at the rear of the building and extensive smoke damage to the rest of the building.
It was started on the exterior of the storage room, said Gary Bontrager, deputy Snohomish County fire marshal.
“No one gained entry into the building,” Bontrager said.
Hynes said it wasn’t clear if the fire was aimed at one or both businesses because the storage area was connected to both.
Hynes said investigators weren’t connecting Tuesday’s fire to an arson Oct. 16 that burned down the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at 11001 Harbour Point Blvd. in Mukilteo.
“There is no reason to think that this incident is linked to any other cases at this time,” Hynes said.
Fire marshals continue to investigate.
They ask anyone with information that may help in the investigation to call 800-55-ARSON.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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