Reporter news sources

Investigators determined an April 16 house fire in Auburn was accidental, caused by a towel placed too close to a burner on the kitchen stove.

A man in his 20’s escaped the afternoon blaze in the 300 block of Hi Crest Drive. He was able to evacuate the dogs and call 911.

Fire and smoke caused an estimated $528,000 damage to the 3,800-square-foot, three-story home.

Valley Regional Fire Authority Firefighters, along with a unit from South King Fire and Rescue, responded to the call and extinguished the fire in under an hour.

There were no injuries.

ALSO: Crews from 11 King County fire departments recently participated in collision avoidance drills at the VRFA headquarters in Auburn. The Washington Cities Insurance Authority sponsored the SWERVE drills, which specialize in fleet driver training. The session helped drivers recognize situations that could lead to collisions, and provide them with evasive action skills.