Monday, September 19, 2011

Fire at Lowell Elementary

Incident Date: 9/19/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 810 N. 13th Street 
Incident Type: Commercial Fire

Narrative:  At 1:14 p.m. ten companies of Tacoma firefighters (five engines, two ladders, two medic units and command staff) responded to a reported fire at Lowell Elementary School.

First arriving companies found flames and smoke showing from a teacher/staff kitchen located in the "primary wing" area of a building on campus.  Crews attacked the fire with handlines and contained the fire to the room of origin - preventing it from spreading to the two classrooms housed in the building.

There were no injuries to report and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.  Preliminary indications are that the fire was accidental in nature.

UPDATE: Investigators have determined that unattended cooking spark the blaze and caused an estimated $40,000 damage to the building and its contents.