Several crews from Bellevue and Eastside Fire and Rescue fought a stubborn attic fire Friday morning in Newscastle before bringing it under control.
No one was injured, but damage to the four-bedroom home is estimated at $300,000. The family of four who live in the home are being assisted by the Red Cross as they wait to survey damage to their belongings. No one was at home at the time of the fire.
A landscaper working in the 14300 block of 77th Place Southeast noticed fire working its way up the side of the two-story home and called 911 at 10:01 a.m. Bellevue firefighters arrived seven minutes later to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of the home, but no smoke or fire inside the living space.
Cedar shake roofing material and the roof’s configuration made putting out the fire difficult. In total, it took 53 minutes to completely control the fire.
The home is equipped with automatic fire sprinklers throughout the living areas but not in the attic or crawl spaces, consistent with the fire code. Investigators determined the fire started outside the home and worked its way into the attic. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.