Tacoma WA Officials Investigating 12 Overnight Fires

Jan. 26—Investigators in Tacoma and Ruston are looking into 12 fires suspected of being arson that broke out Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, most of which occurred at residential buildings in Central Tacoma and northern areas of the city.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames without any injuries, and Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Joe Meinecke credited their quick work with keeping the fires from turning deadly.

"People were in these places where these fires happened, and that's really concerning," Meinecke said. "Not only does that endanger our community, but it endangers our crews. We were thrilled that none of our folks were injured."

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Seattle were sent to assist Tacoma Police Department with its investigation of the fires, most of which occurred at several homes, an apartment building and detached garages. Ruston Police Department is also investigating a fire as arson. The News Tribune has not been able to reach a department representative for details.

Investigators do not have evidence that the fires are connected, but TPD spokesperson Wendy Haddow said police's investigation will make that determination.

Assistant chief of EMS Mary Hallman described the fires as happening in two clusters, three of which were reported in Central Tacoma earlier in the evening Tuesday. Five other fires were reported in northern parts of Tacoma later in the night and in the early hours of Wednesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, police said three more possible arson fires occurred overnight and were discovered in the morning by employees coming into work. The fires caused minor damage and were reported in the 4000 block of 6th Avenue, the 1500 block of South Union Avenue and the 3200 block of South D Street.

Fire spokesperson Meinecke said he couldn't describe what made those specific fires suspicious, but he said typical signs of arson include fires occurring in close proximity and the presence of accelerants. He said investigators often deem fires suspicious while looking into the cause of the fire and where it originated.

Tacoma residents react to the fires

Central Tacoma resident Warren Crain, 60, said he heard sirens Tuesday evening, but it wasn't until he took his dog, Wolfgang, for a walk that he realized fire engines were responding only blocks away.

Crain said the whole area smelled like smoke, but he didn't see any actual flames. Crain started to turn home, and that's when he spotted flaming porch furniture at a house on State Street.

"My dog and I were walking by, and I looked and went, 'Oh that ain't good,' and so was up pounding the door and throwing flaming tables and flaming potted plants off the porch," Crain said.

The fire melted some of the home's vinyl siding, but Crain said the fire started to extinguish itself once he moved the flaming furniture. He called 911, and once a firefighter arrived to check on it, he went home. His hands were still calloused on Wednesday.

Crain said he has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, and he doesn't feel intimidated by the fires.

"I'm going to be careful, but I'm not going to let the paranoia win," Crain said.

On Twitter, fire officials shared a list of several ways residents can reduce the risk of arson in their neighborhoods.

Tips included installing lights to cover all sides of your house, trimming shrubs that might block the home's view from the street and removing flammable materials from around the house.

A 72-year-old North End resident said motion detector lights outside her home — not far from where a fire was reported on North Cheyenne Street — helped deter some suspicious activity in her driveway. She asked that her name not be included due to fears over her safety.

The woman said that around 2:18 a.m. Wednesday, her cameras showed a person stop in front of her truck and look around before walking into her driveway. She said the person didn't look in her cars but did take a look at the gated entrance to her backyard. That's when motion detector lights came on and the person left.

The resident said she sent the images to Crime Stoppers Tacoma/ Pierce County. She's lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, and she said these kinds of incidents put her on high alert.

Where fires were reported in Tacoma

Crews were dispatched to the first three Central Tacoma fires around 7:45, 8 and 8:25 p.m., fire officials said. The fires occurred within a mile of each other.

The incidents were a detached garage fire, a car fire and house fire. Hallman said the fires were largely insignificant and crews were able to manage them quickly. They occurred in the 600 block of South Trafton Street, the 2000 block of South 7th Street and the 600 block of South State Street.

Later, firefighters responded to five blazes in northern Tacoma. Fires were reported at a three-story apartment building in the 5000 block of North Pearl Street at 11 p.m., a single-family home in the 4600 block of North Gove Street at 2 a.m. and a detached garage fire in the 3700 block of North Cheyenne Street at 3 a.m.

Tacoma police said fires were also reported in the 4700 block of North Orchard Street at 1:24 a.m. and another fire in the 3700 block of North Cheyenne Street at 3:56 a.m.

This story was originally published January 26, 2022 7:56 AM.

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