Women, children jump from apartment balconies in SeaTac fire

Two women are at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with life-threatening injuries after jumping from their balconies during a fire Saturday night at a SeaTac apartment complex.

Children also jumped from balconies to escape the flames at the Emerald Place Apartments after the fire broke out about 6:55 p.m., said Dave Nelson, spokesman for the King County Fire District 20. Seven people were hospitalized for minor injuries, and 100 people were displaced from the complex in the 3000 block of South 192nd Street.

"If this fire happened to be in the early-morning hours we could have seen more injuries and possible fatalities. Everyone in this complex did a great job notifying their neighbors," Nelson said. "It is very remarkable to see the damage and not have this as a fatality fire."

Because of the size of the fire, Nelson said, investigators are not expected to have a cause or damage estimate until Tuesday.

Many of the residents might be able to return to the building in the coming days, Nelson said. Fire crews believe 15 of the 48 apartment units will be deemed uninhabitable.

A city of SeaTac building inspector is evaluating all 48 units today and power is expected to be turned back on in the units that are determined to be safe, Nelson said. A fire investigator with the King County Sheriff's Office is expected to start sifting through the site later today.

Nelson said there weren't sprinklers inside the apartment units; because of the age of the building, they weren't required. Many residents told firefighters that smoke alarms were working.

The American Red Cross of King and Kitsap Counties offered to help residents find housing but everyone found lodging on their own, said spokeswoman Stephanie Schoo.

Apartment management opened vacant units in a different section of the complex, and several residents stayed there, Schoo said. Other residents stayed the night with friends or family.

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