Flames rip through Ballard Jack in the Box

SEATTLE — Crews battled a fire at a Jack in the Box fast food restaurant Wednesday morning.

The restaurant is in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, north of the Fred Meyer store.

Seattle Fire Department spokesman David Cuerpo said calls about smoke and flames coming from the restaurant on Northwest Leary Way and 11th Avenue started coming in at 4:15 a.m.

“All the flashing lights kind of caught our attention this morning,” said Doug and Lauren Simpson.

Firefighters attempted to tackle the fire from the inside but the flames were too intense and the roof began to collapse.

“We withdrew from the building because a top tower structure collapsed, onto the roof and through the roof. That’s where the fire was originating,” said Cuerpo.

Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light shut off natural gas and electricity to the building.

In the past there was a gas station and convenience store in the same plaza as the Jack in the Box. Cuerpo said the gas pumps have been out of service for some time.

Though the Jack in the Box sign indicates the restaurant is open 24 hours, the business appeared to be closed, and there were no employees anywhere near the building when the fire started, according to Cuerpo.

KIRO 7 spoke with one of the managers who said she learned about the fire when she showed up for work.

“The building managers have informed us that there are credible reports that people may have been sheltering on the roof structure above,” said Cuerpo.

After learning this information, crews attempted to do a secondary search, but were unable to because the building was unsafe. Firefighters climbed ladders to do a cursory search of the rooftop and were unable to find anyone.

The building manager told KIRO 7 that recently, police were called after people were caught climbing onto the roof.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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