Massive fire damages Kent strip mall

Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a Kent strip mall overnight that investigators say could be arson.

At 2:45 a.m. Wednesday, crews were first called to a car fire near Central Avenue South at Meeker Street. They arrived to find three vehicles burning next to a pawn shop in a strip mall, which had caught fire on an exterior wall and its eves.

The fire grew rapidly and a second alarm was called out to summon more resources. About 40 firefighters were called to the scene.

As the fire continued to grow, three elevated “master streams,” which spray large volumes of water,

were positioned toward the building’s roof so the fire could be quickly knocked down when the flames broke through the roof, according to Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority.

The tactic was successful and the fire was kept in check, saving the adjacent auto body shop and a glass store to the north.

Firefighters entered the auto body shop to make sure no one was inside and ensure the fire had not spread through the common wall shared with the pawn shop. No one was found inside and while there was a haze of smoke inside, there was no fire damage.

As of 5 a.m., most of the fire had been knocked down.

No injuries were reported.

The fire is being investigated as a possible arson, but the cause is not yet known and remains under investigation.

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 11:56 AM.