Shelter for displaced arson victims to close

A Red Cross shelter set up to assist people displaced when arson destroyed their Burien apartment complex June 29 will close Sunday.

Red Cross spokesman Christopher Bender said the agency has helped direct many of the nearly 40 people left homeless in their search for new homes. Only about a dozen people have remained in the shelter at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church, he said.

"Everyone does have a place to go," Bender said. "This [the shelter closure] isn't new information for anyone."

Red Cross officials said in the week that the shelter was open, they provided more than 3,000 meals and snacks to shelter residents and others affected by the fire.

The King County Sheriff's Office said the fire that destroyed the eight-unit Tara Apartments and heavily damaged the identical Jenny Marie Apartments in the 400 block of Southwest 155th Street was deliberately set. The fire caused $1.75 million in damage.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office hasn't formally identified the three people killed. But neighbors have identified two of the victims as Lindy Kunimoto, 49, and Edgar Cisneros, who was about 8. The third person killed was Edgar's grandfather; his name hasn't been released by neighbors.

Several of the injured were taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Community members have coordinated several fundraising efforts to help those who lost their homes and didn't have renter's insurance.

One fundraiser, featuring several local bands, will be held on Sunday in Burien at Bison Creek Pizza, 630 S.W. 153rd St.

Promoters of the all-ages event are asking that people donate clothes, household goods or nonperishable food items. Larger donations can be dropped off at Sunnydale Elementary School, 15631 Des Moines Memorial Drive, on Thursday.

Information previously reported in The Seattle Times is included in this report.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com