Approximately 60 residents of the Riverfront apartment complex in Auburn were displaced after the building was consumed by a three-alarm fire on Sunday night, Nov. 7.
As of Nov. 8, there have been no injuries reported among residents or firefighters, however a litter of puppies died in the fire, according to the Valley Regional Fire Authority.
At least 60 units were affected by fire, water, or power outage — including approximately 36 with more extensive damage, according to a media release from the American Red Cross. Approximately 60 individuals were displaced including more than a dozen children.
The following information is taken from a press release from the Valley Regional Fire Authority:
On Sunday night at around 9:30 a.m., an unknown person called 911 to report seeing smoke and flames coming from somewhere around the apartment building on 8th Street Southeast. Initially, only one fire engine responded until several residents called to report the fire and it was upgraded to a commercial fire response.
The first Valley Regional Fire Authority unit that arrived saw large flames and classified it as a two-alarm fire, prompting more engines to respond.
By 10:09 p.m., the blaze was upgraded to a three-alarm fire. It took 11 engines, three ladder trucks, two medical aid units, four command personnel and six incident support units to put the fire out and evacuate everyone.
Units from several neighboring departments worked with the Valley Regional Fire Authority to control the situation.
The fire began in a carport attached to the main apartment building and spread through a stairwell to all three floors of the building, according to Valley Regional Fire Authority investigators. The stairwell was the primary evacuation route for five apartments in the building.
A resident pulled the fire alarm to alert other residents and some helped their neighbors escape the fire. One woman had to jump from a third floor balcony onto the second floor.
Twenty of the 36 apartments have damage ranging from smoke damage to collapsed roofs. Seven units are considered a total loss, according to the Valley Regional Fire Authority.
The residents were transported to Auburn High School and connected with Red Cross representatives.
The apartment complex, built in 1969, was purchased by The Neiders Company for just under $4.8 million in 2018, according to the King County Assessor’s office.
