EDMONDS — An Edmonds police officer who reached a burning apartment before firefighters early Sunday morning evacuated residents before she was treated for smoke inhalation, police and fire officials said.
Realizing that the complex was occupied by sleeping residents, officer Jodi Sackville, 33, entered the unit where flames were visible, Edmonds Police Sgt. Mike Blackburn said. The officer, who has been on the force for more than three years, ran from door to door waking up the occupants. The fire caused more than $120,000 damage and left three people homeless, firefighters reported.
The fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. at an apartment complex in the 7600 block of 230th Street SW.
“Police arrived on the scene first and reported flames coming from a second-floor unit in one of the buildings,” Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
Sackville also knocked on doors to evacuate neighbors. She was treated by paramedics at the scene and was transported by firefighters to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she was treated and released for smoke inhalation.
“She did an outstanding job of alerting residents to the fire and making sure everyone got out safely,” Hynes said.
Sackville is expected to return to full duty after taking a night off to rest after the ordeal, Blackburn said.
Firefighters from District 1, Lynnwood and Shoreline had the fire under control in about 20 minutes.
“They kept the flames from spreading to other apartments. All the fire damage was in one three-bedroom apartment,” Hynes said.
The fire started on the deck of the second-floor apartment. Firefighters said discarded cigarettes might have started the fire.
The apartment’s occupants were young adults without renter insurance. Support 7 and the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross were assisting them.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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