Published January 11 2018
Bellevue firefighters were able to extinguish a fire Wednesday evening in an Eastgate condominium complex before it spread from the kithen where it had started. However, a body was was found in the condo fire.
Just after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters were dispatched to the complex located in the 3400 block of 161st Court SE. Initial calls to 911 reported a dryer was on fire. Firefighters arrived within five minutes and found smoke coming from multiple exterior dryer vents of the six-unit building.
Fire crews quickly located a fire in the kitchen of a single condominium. While smoke had spread to adjacent units through the building’s dryer ducts, the fire was contained to that unit. Firefighters found the victim’s body in the kitchen.
The Bellevue police and fire departments collaborated on this investigation on-site through the early morning hours of Thursday. The investigation is continuing throughout the day. The cause of the fire is not suspicious. Information about the victim has not been released from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office at this time.
The condo complex has a working fire alarm system, which functioned appropriately when smoke got into the common stairwell. At this time, it is unknown if the victim’s unit had working smoke alarms.
The Bellevue Fire Department urges the public to make sure you have working smoke alarms installed in your home. For more information on smoke alarms, please visit: http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/public-education/resources/safety-tip…