Investigators sound alarm over string of Seattle fires

Police and fire officials are sounding an alarm over a string of arsons in three Seattle neighborhoods.

Seven fires have been intentionally set in the Chinatown-International District, First Hill, and Capitol Hill neighborhoods between July 13-20 (see a full list below). Most of these fires were lit in dumpsters and garbage bins, but some were set in the stairwells of vacant buildings.

A couple of these incidents resulted in considerable responses from fire crews. A fire on 20th Avenue South destroyed an entire building and caused power outages across the CID.

Fire officials are now working with the Seattle Police Department's arson and bomb squad to investigate the crimes.

Business owners are being advised to keep their exterior lights on and their dumpsters locked in a secured area, if possible, and don't overfill them.

The Seattle Fire Department reports that five of the fires were set between July 16-17:

• July 16: 900 block of South Jackson Street – Debris fire set inside stairwell of building.
• July 16: 900 block of South Jackson Street – Second set fire in stairwell of building.
• July 16: 1200 block of South Jackson Street – Debris fire set in underground parking garage.
• July 16: 800 block of Madison Street – Debris fires inside derelict apartment building.
• July 17: 1200 block of 15th Avenue East – Multiple garbage cans and dumpsters burned.

A two-alarm fire occurred at a vacant building in the 1000 block of Ninth Avenue on July 13. Another two-alarm fire struck a vacant building in the 1000 block of King Street on July 20.