44 people displaced after huge apartment fire in West Seattle

SEATTLE — An apartment building burned Tuesday evening in West Seattle.

>> See photos of the burning apartment here.

Smoke rising from the fire could be seen for miles as crews fought the multiple-alarm fire near Southwest Myrtle and Southwest Willow streets.

Roads in the area were closed as crews fought to put out the flames.

Everyone made it safely out of the apartment. Red Cross officials said 44 people have been displaced.

Firefighters say that crews were only shooting water from the ground because firefighters inside the building were attacking the fire internally.

This Seattle Housing Authority apartment has 51 units in two wood-frame buildings. Only one is on fire.

The buildings have electric wall heating.

It was built in 1970 and remodeled in 1985. The average unit size is 720 square feet, and laundry rooms are in common areas.

Cox Media Group