Video: WA Firefighters Battle Fatal 3-Alarm Apartment Fire

Washington firefighters battled a fatal three-alarm fire that tore through an apartment complex early Tuesday.

The fire broke out shortly after 5 a.m. at Maple Crest Apartments in Tukwila, KOMO-TV reports. Once at the scene, firefighters quickly raised the call to two alarms and made a defensive attack.

At one point, crews thought they had the fire under control, but when they entered the complex, firefighters were surrounded by flames. The fire then was raised to a third alarm, and more King County departments were called in.

One of the challenges to battling the blaze was the location of the apartment complex, according to Tukwila Police Officer Eric Autry. 

“We really don’t have access for lots of stuff in the back, it’s (on) a really steep hill, there’s not a roadway or a driveway in the back that we can put equipment in, so we’re fighting it from the front,” he told KOMO. “The folks that are working in the back have to be very conscious about what’s coming off the building, they don’t have anywhere to go if something starts falling, so it does become difficult.”

Two adults and a girl were found dead in the burning complex. Officials said units in the building were not equipped with sprinklers.

Autry added that some firefighters suffered injuries, but he wasn't sure how many or their extent.

“We have had some injuries," he said. "I don’t know the exact number. I don’t believe they were serious injuries. They were minor injuries."

Firefighters were still trying to put out hot spots as of 2 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.