Early Thursday morning fire in Seattle high rise ruled arson

SEATTLE — The Seattle Fire Department responded to a fire early Thursday morning in the downtown area.

Around 2:41 a.m., firefighters responded to a report of a fire in the lobby of a high rise apartment building in the 2200 block of First Avenue.

Crews had the fire under 45 minutes after they arrived.

Two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

A third person, a 50-year-old man, was found in the lobby’s bathroom and transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Firefighters evacuated several floors of the apartment building due to smoke and carbon monoxide levels.

Evacuees were temporarily sheltered in a King County Metro bus and returned to their homes within a few hours.

After an investigation, the Seattle Police Department Arson and Bomb Squad determined the fire was intentionally set.

If you have information about this incident, call 1-800-55-ARSON or email SFD_FIU@seattle.gov.

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