EDMONDS — An Edmonds man was critically injured in a condominium fire Sunday morning.
Neighbors reported around 8:15 a.m. that smoke was coming from the first-floor unit the injured man rents in the 7400 block of 212th Street SW.
“There was light smoke coming from the unit when firefighters arrived and the man was still inside. Police officers and firefighters pulled the victim from the building,” said Leslie Hynes, public information officer for Snohomish County Fire District 1, which provides fire and emergency medical services in the city of Edmonds.
The 67-year-old man was transported by paramedics to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. His injuries from smoke inhalation appeared to be life-threatening, Hynes said in a statement.
Other people in the two-story, five-unit building were safely evacuated. Firefighters from Fire District 1 and Lynnwood had the fire under control within 10 minutes. The fire was contained to the kitchen area, but there was heavy smoke damage throughout the unit. No other units were damaged, Hynes said.
Fire investigators could not determine the exact cause of the fire, but could not rule out smoking or combustible items placed too close to the stovetop.
Neighbors told firefighters they did not hear any alarms sounding during the fire. Firefighters located a smoke alarm in the unit, but the battery had been removed and alarm had been disconnected from the electrical system.
“Even with a relatively small fire like this one, smoke can spread quickly and silently. Smoke alarms can give you the warning you need to safely escape. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the smoke alarms in your home are working properly,” Hynes said.
Fire District 1 recommends testing smoke alarms monthly and replacing the batteries twice a year or right away if the alarm chirps to warn of a low battery. Smoke alarms more than 10 years old become unreliable and should be replaced. Fire District 1 is offering free smoke alarms and educational home safety assessments for residents it serves in the communities of unincorporated southwest Snohomish County, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway. Funding for the program comes from a Vision 20/20 Grant awarded through the federal Assistance to Firefighter Grant program.
Schedule a free home safety assessment and smoke alarm installation online at www.firedistrict1.org.
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