TACOMA – An early-morning fire Sunday in the city’s south end, blamed on unattended candles from a party, left three young people dead and at least five others homeless.
A fire department spokesman said the call came in around 3 a.m.
A friend of the victims told Seattle television station KING 5 that there was a party at the house Saturday night, attended by 2002 and 2003 graduates of Eatonville High School.
At least nine people were inside the home when the fire began. Six were able to escape, but rescuers found three people, believed to be young adults ages 18-22, dead inside.
“Our investigators found the remnants of two candles, the kind of candles that would burn and keep insects away. They found those in the debris on the deck and they’re believing that that’s what started the fire,” Deputy Fire Marshal Kevin O’Donnal told KING.
No damage estimate was immediately available. The identities of the victims were not expected to be released until Monday.
Neighbors described a chaotic scene, with people in the house screaming and others running down the street. Next door, Angie Kiester awoke when a stranger pounded on her door.
“They said, ‘Call 911,’ and I did that, and it was just scary because the flames were very high,” she told KING.
By the time firefighters arrived, flames had engulfed the home.
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