By Martín Bilbao
The Olympian
SHELTON, Wash. — Firefighters saved several people who were trapped by a house fire in downtown Shelton early Wednesday morning.
Central Mason Fire and EMS responded at about 2:40 a.m. to the multi-family home at North First Street and West Pine Street, according to a news release. Dispatch reportedly advised firefighters that more than 20 people lived at the home and several of them were trapped on the second floor.
Within minutes, fire crews arrived at the scene and saw several people on the second-floor balconies. They got to work on the blaze and searched the first and second floor in “black smoke conditions,” according to Central Mason Fire.
“Immediately a quick knockdown of the fire was initiated,” Fire Chief Jeff Snyder said in an email to The Olympian. “Simultaneously crews entered the first and second floors to search for possible victims. Meanwhile, an additional crew rescued two trapped persons from a rear balcony by ground ladder.”
Crews accounted for all occupants and reported no injuries, according to the news release.
The cause of the fire was “incendiary” and remained under investigation Wednesday, Snyder said. Crews reportedly stayed at the scene for about eight hours to mop up hot spots and support investigators, he said.
Mason County Fire District 11 and District 4 as well as the Shelton Police Department assisted Central Mason Fire and EMS.
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