Christmas Day Fire In Bellevue Displaces Residents

BELLEVUE, WA - Dozens of firefighters responded to a large fire at a Factoria apartment building early Christmas morning, rescuing residents trapped on upper floors after the flames engulfed a stairwell.

The fire happened at a building along the 12800 block of Southeast 40th Court at around 4:30 a.m. In total, residents living in six units were rescued from the building. One man was injured after he jumped from a third-story window. Five people were taken to the hospital.

Here's more from Bellevue fire:

The Red Cross was able provide resources and housing to those displaced by the early morning fire. In all, forty-nine firefighters responded to the fire with two mutual aid units from Mercer Island. Tri-Med ambulance service provided two ambulances to assist with transporting patients to the hospital.

At approximately 4:00 pm Bellevue Fire investigators wrapped up their near eight-hour investigation into the fire’s cause and origin. While the area the fire started in was identified, a cause could not be determined. The fire started on the exterior of the building and burned its way to the inside of the structure. The Bellevue Fire Department investigation is being closed and the fire cause has been classified as “undetermined.”

Image via Shutterstock