Olympia Fire
Greg Wright
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Olympia Fire Department
Date: July 27, 2018
Released by:
· Greg Wright, Fire Chief
· 360.239.2797 cell
Structure Fire
Olympia Firefighters responded to a reported fire near the intersection of Interstate 5 and Pacific Avenue. Multiple calls to 9-1-1 reported a large brush or structure fire behind or in a business being re-constructed along Pacific Avenue. Responding units reported a large black smoke column immediately upon leaving their stations. A full structure fire response was initiated with mutual aid from Lacey Fire District 3. First arriving units reported that the fire was in the woods behind the business in an area known to have homeless encampments.
Firefighters immediately stretched 350 feet of fire hose from Pacific Avenue into the woods to the fire. Traffic was stopped so that a supply line could be stretched from the fire engine, across Pacific Avenue to the nearest hydrant. Two dead trees and a wooden shelter in the center of the homeless encampment were already consumed by fire. Fire crews quickly put out all the surrounding fire on the ground before it could spread to any of the tress encircling the encampment. To assure that the fire would not re-ignite, crews sifted through the burned debris and cooled the hot ashes. A wildland firefighting crew from the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources responded to assist in mopping up the fire and felling the dead, burned snags in the center of the encampment to reduce the danger of falling.
Olympia Fire Department responded with four engines, one ladder truck, two medic units and a command unit. Along with the initial dispatch of Lacey Fire District Three who were not needed and returned to service, Olympia Police and Olympia Public Works assisted with blocking Pacific Avenue. After about an hour, with the fire suppressed, fire vehicles were repositioned and one lane in each direction on Pacific Avenue was reopened to traffic.
The cause of the fire is undeterminable based on the damage. One person that reportedly occupies the encampment came back to the scene about an hour after the fire started and said everything was fine when he left to go to a store.
There were no reported injuries to any civilians in the area. No firefighters were injured. Firefighter’s protective clothing and equipment will need careful decontamination.
Two pictures below
###
Olympia Fire Department and 9-1-1, your first call for fire, medical and disaster in the City of Olympia. Together we make our community a safer place to live, work and play.
Connect With Us!
