2 building fires break out a block away from each other in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma Fire Department responded to two building fires just a block away from each other Wednesday morning.

One of the fires happened at the historic Freight House Station along East 25th Street.

“It’s sad, my cousin had his 40th birthday party right there, and they have good restaurants in there,” said Tacoma resident James Jones.

“It’s crazy. I mean this building has been here for years, I’ve gone into this building, I’ve ate in the shops,” said Tacoma resident Larry Craig.

Fire officials say that the fire started around 5 a.m. on the outside of the building.

“We had reports of a fire that had spread up three floors… We had some initial reports that there’s some security video with somebody that might have started it,” said Todd Magliocca, Battalion Chief, with the Tacoma Fire Department.

Just before responding to this fire, a block away on East Drive Street, firefighters were putting out a fire at the abandoned Cutting Edge Meats building.

“We actually forced entry into the building to make sure there were no victims… It’s one of our dangerous building lists, it’s burned a few times,” said Magliocca.

That fire was reported just before 1 a.m. The cause of both fires is under investigation.

“Whoever started it, hopefully, they can find him, and stop him,” said Craig.

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