The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said investigators found accelerants in the unit where the fire likely started.
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — Investigators believe someone intentionally set an apartment on fire early Friday morning, forcing 21 people out of their homes after flames spread to several units.
Ten apartments were damaged or unlivable at Allegra Terrace Apartments on Bridgeport Way West in University Place, according to the American Red Cross and an on-site property manager, who said some units simply lost power.
Nine families were displaced, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said accelerants were found inside the unit where the fire started.
Nobody was injured.
One neighbor told KING 5 the commotion began around 4:30 a.m. Deputies were dispatched around 5 a.m.
“Somebody was banging on a couple doors, then she left and came back again. I didn’t pay any attention to it. I thought it was somebody mad at someone, so I took my butt back to bed. I guess 10 or 15 minutes later, here comes the fire department and the cavalry. It was fully engulfed,” he said.
The sheriff’s office released body-worn camera footage showing deputies racing through the burning building to look for survivors. One clip shows a deputy using a crowbar to force open a door, revealing an empty unit. Another shows a deputy approaching the unit where the fire is believed to have started; the deputy nudged the door open but retreated when heavy smoke billowed from the small gap.
Portions of the footage were shared on the agency’s social media pages, where a spokesperson revealed details about the suspected arson.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information, including surveillance footage of anyone leaving the area around the time of the fire, to call the agency.
“I thought I saw that guy. I don’t know if I saw him or not because I was groggy-eyed. Hopefully they’ll get the truth out of this,” the neighbor told KING 5. “I hope God takes care of the people who got hurt in this, the emotional drag. There’s an emotional turbulence, you know? So I just wish them the best.”
The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents. The property manager said families have been offered hotel rooms and the property is working to move them into other buildings.
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