Cause of $10M Everett warehouse fire unknown; case closed

EVERETT — Investigators say they may never know what caused the three-alarm warehouse fire in north Everett on June 4.

There was not enough evidence available to pinpoint an exact cause, Fire Marshal Eric Hicks said. It was not safe for fire inspectors to go inside what was left of the building, he said. That step usually is taken to try to determine a fire’s path and origin.

The case recently was closed, based on the amount of damage from the fire and the way the warehouse collapsed, Hicks said.

“It really changed the dynamics of the inside of the building,” he said.

The damage has been estimated at $10 million. Before the fire, the property at 101 E. Marine View Drive had an assessed value of $4.8 million. Its tax value for 2017 has been recalculated, to $2.4 million, public records show.

In addition to the lost building, the fire destroyed a truck, a tractor trailer and heavy-duty machinery, Hicks said.

For the damage estimate, the investigators “factored in all of the equipment inside and outside,” he said.

The riverfront property has a history of regulatory problems. The owners and past tenants are embroiled in an ongoing multimillion-dollar lawsuit involving site cleanup.

The most recent tenant was a company called Eco Fuel, which shares an owner with Rubatino Refuse Removal. The latter company has not responded to inquiries from the newspaper since the fire.

The property owner is a holding company that was created by a longtime Everett family.

Cory Burke, who manages the holding company, said they continue to work with insurance agents on a recovery plan. Burke declined to discuss the status of Eco Fuel’s tenancy.

“As for reconstruction, new tenants, we have been looking at all of our options, but don’t yet know what our plans are going forward,” he said.

Everett Engineering, which was next door to the warehouse, also sustained fire damage. The business sought a permit last month to make repairs, city spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke said. The permit application remains under review.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.