Massive 3-alarm fire burns Everett appliance store
EVERETT, Wash. -- A massive three-alarm fire burned an Everett appliance store Friday evening.
The fire at the Judd & Black Appliance Store broke out just after 7:30 p.m., according to Steve Goforth with Everett Fire. Initial reports are it began in a dumpster and spread to the building, but as of midnight on Saturday, those reports appear to not be true. Fire investigators, including Goforth, are working to determine the cause.
The fire quickly went to two alarms, then a third alarm as flames spread. Firefighters remained on scene overnight to put out hotspots.
Firefighters could only fight the fire from the outside as the building became unstable and there have since been reported wall collapses. The building is over a 100 years old.
No one is believed to have been in the building and there are no reported injuries, Goforth said.
Electricity has been shut off in the area to make conditions safer for firefighters.
“It’s just too dangerous right now for fire fighters to be inside for risk of collapse,” said Goforth. “Once you have that much fire you worry about the structural members.”
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Customers and people in the community have been watching the fire in disbelief, saying the store had been there for as long as they can remember.
“Judd and Black has been here in the city of Everett since I was a kid and we just grew up with Judd and Black,” said customer Dan Anderson. “We’re customers and we get to know the employees so we just feel really bad about this situation.”
All roads in the area of Hewitt Avenue and Maple Street are closed for the firefighting efforts.
Fire crews from Marysville and the Navy are helping fight the flames.
There is no word yet what started the fire.
