February 2, 2010 - Firefighters believed everyone escaped the South Park home fire that occurred Monday but later discovered a body in the ashes of the garage that neighbors believe was a teen living in the home at the time of the fire.
When six family members escaped safely from their burning South Park home just before 8:30 p.m. Monday evening, firefighters believed everyone had escaped safely.
The family had no idea their two-car garage was on fire.
"It was a neighbor who was walking her dog who spotted the fire, called 911 and alerted six family members inside the house of the fire," said Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman, Dana Vander Houwen, "They all got out safely with no injuries."
It was not until they were going through the burned out garage that they discovered a body in the ashes which fire investigators say they could not identify as male or female.
Over 50 firefighters responded to the ferocious fire in the 500 block of South Trenton Street in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood. Firefighters said the garage at the home was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived.
The fire began in the garage and moved to the attic and Seattle fire investigators were working with the Seattle Police Arson/Bomb Squad in the investigation, Vander Houwen said.
News reports now say neighbors told investigators they believe the body found in the garage could be that of a teenager who they believe was living at the house at the time of the fire.
Fire investigators discovered the body around 11:40 p.m. while doing their investigation.
Several engine crews took turns overnight guarding the scene from flare-ups.
Fire and arson/bomb squad investigators will return at daylight to dig through the ashes in a continuing investigation into the cause of the fire.
Reports indicate the King County medical examiner’s office is identifying the victim while police and fire investigators look for the cause of the fire.
A call to the King County medical examiner’s office at 8 a.m. this morning revealed they had not yet received notification of the fire or the individual in the fire.
Sources:
The Seattle Times
SeattlePI.com
SeattlePI Blog
NWCN.com - with Video
KIROTV.com
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