Several businesses were gutted by flames when a fast-moving fire consumed a building in Issaquah.
The fire broke out on 23800 block of SE Tiger Mountain Road on Tuesday morning.
There are no hydrants here so Eastside Fire had to call in tenders from several other departments.
About 50 preschoolers nearby were evacuated.
Pat De'Angelo's media company was one of the businesses lost in the now burned down building.
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“It’s pretty devasting honestly. This is something I'd been wanting to build my whole life as a kid,” De’Angelo explained.
Also lost – an art studio, and an office and apartment where the property's caretaker, Tim, lived with his wife and 5-year-old granddaughter who were also there when the fire broke out.
“I just started smelling something, opened up Tim's door to his facility and then just black smoke everywhere,” recounted De’Angelo.
Mark Yoder, a subcontractor for Comcast, was one of the first on scene.
“I was about to work on the utility pole down the road and heard somebody screaming and ran over here to see what was going on. I noticed the fire and just wanted to make sure nobody was still inside,” Yoder said.
All five people who were there made it out safely.
When firefighters arrived, the building was fully engulfed. It spread to the building next door, which is home to River Valley Cheese. Owner Kristi Slotemaker said she feels like the hits just keep coming.
“As small business owners we've suffered a lot this season between the wind storm, with this very big weather system that just came through. So much business was lost,” Slotemaker explained.
But one thing that was saved – Slotermaker’s dictionary, which belonged to her grandfather who brought it from Holland back in the 1920s.
“He came over here and went to school. So this dictionary holds a lot of significance. So if he can start over in a new country, I can start over with a new space for the business,” added Slotemaker.
Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
Cox Media Group
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