A fierce fire gutted a home in downtown Auburn and prompted a third alarm Saturday afternoon.
The fire started in two garages on the back of a house in the 400 block of 1st St NE in Auburn, and quickly spread to the house, according to Pat Pawlak, Puget Sound Fire Division Chief and spokesperson for Valley Regional Fire Authority
He says a second and third alarm were called to bring in more firefighting resources, not just because of the ferocity of the flames; they needed to make sure firefighters could take a break from the heat and stay hydrated.
"With this weather and this heat, we want to make sure firefighters are safe, and they have ample time to go through rehab and make sure that they're safe," Pawlak said.
He said one person was in the home at the time of the fire and is safe. Two homes – one on either side of the burning house – were evacuated. No injuries were reported.
Pawlak says investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire at the house, which was used as both a residence and a business. Neighbors say it was used as a flower shop,