At 5:59 PM yesterday, in the 15000 block of 118th Ave SE, a fire started in the living room while the family was gone. The next door neighbor saw smoke and flames from the garage and called 9-1-1. From a safe distance, she sprayed water from a garden hose on the fire while waiting for the Fire Department to arrive.
Puget Sound Fire Engine 72 was the first to put water on the fire. Additional units helped put the fire out while a search was made on the inside of the home to make sure nobody was in the house. The fire was quickly stopped in the room where it started, but the rest of the house had smoke damage.
The cause of the fire was a coiled up extension cord with a small refrigerator accidentally placed on top of the coil. Extension cords that are pinched are a known cause of fires, so Puget Sound Fire Department recommends that extension cords are not used as permanent wiring.
The Red Cross was called to help the family. South King County Medic One and Zone 3 Rehab also responded to the incident.