Residents safely escape two-alarm fire at a Ballard apartment complex

Dozens of residents safely escaped a two-alarm fire at The Telemark Apartments (2850 NW 56th St) this morning.

Seattle Fire Department crews arrived just before 10 a.m. to find smoke billowing out of the third floor of the four story complex.

Resident Dax Soule told KOMO News that he attempted to put out the fire. “I broke the fire extinguisher glass and went in to try and find the fire. It was loaded with smoke, I tried to make sure there was nobody there,” Soule says.

According to KOMO News, after an unsuccessful attempt at putting out the growing fire with the extinguisher, Soule and his wife ran through the complex yelling for their neighbors to evacuate.  

Shortly after SFD crews arrived on the scene, working quickly to control the fire, and were able to contain it to the third floor.

SFD reports that the fire started in the back bedroom of one tenant’s unit and was caused by an over heated electrical cord. Check out some of the damage in the photos below:

All residents and their pets escaped the fire unharmed, however it is unclear when residents will be allowed to return to their homes. The estimated damage caused by the fire is approximately $60,000.

Thank you to My Ballard readers Silver and Darold for emailing in photos from the scene.