Explosion causes major damage to Rainier Valley building

Seattle police and fire crews were called to Seattle’s Rainier Valley after an explosion damaged a building.

The blast happened inside an apartment on top of a salon on Rainier Avenue South near South Genessee Street at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

No one was hurt, but the building is now structurally unsound.%

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It was first thought that the explosion may have been caused by natural gas, but Puget Sound Energy responded and found that was not the case.

Firefighters are calling it an “unknown gas explosion” until the cause is determined.  There is a possibility that the blast may have been cooking-related.

One person and a pet lived in the apartment, which is now uninhabitable.  Red Cross is helping the displaced resident.

No adjacent buildings were damaged.

Cox Media Group