EVERETT — A three-alarm blaze early Saturday destroyed an indoor paintball arena off Broadway.
Fire crews rushed to Doodlebug Indoor Paintball Arena in the 3300 block of Paine Avenue around 2:30 a.m. after someone reported flames and smoke coming from the building, Everett Fire Marshal Glen Martinsen said.
When firefighters arrived, flames had already ripped through much of the building and spread below the roof. Crews had to take a defensive strategy and fought the blaze from outside, Martinsen said.
“Explosions were heard from the interior of the building, possibly from compressed air and gas cylinders that were stored there by the business,” he said.
Nobody was hurt.
Firefighters cut holes in the building’s walls and poured large streams of water onto the flames. Thermal imaging cameras helped crews monitor the blaze. A ladder truck was used to dump water on the fire from above.
Fire investigators were working to determine what caused the blaze, Martinsen said. He had no other details on Saturday.
The arena, operated by the Doodlebug Sportz company, was one of the largest indoor paintball facilities in the region. The fire destroyed the warehouse where it was housed. A statement posted on the company’s Web site on Saturday afternoon said the facility would not reopen in the near future.
Fire engines from Snohomish County Fire District 1, Snohomish, Marysville, Lake Stevens and Naval Station Everett assisted Everett crews.
A team of local Red Cross volunteers provided meals and hot beverages to firefighters and employees of the business, Red Cross spokeswoman Jeanne Hanson said.
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
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