Police officer, 4 others injured in huge Mount Vernon fire

KCPQ TV



MOUNT VERNON - Five people, including one police officer were injured in a 3-alarm apartment fire late Monday night in Mount Vernon.  The fire at the Cascade West apartments was reported just before 11:30 p.m. according to Mount Vernon police spokeswoman Shannon Haigh.

Mount Vernon police and fire department crews arrived to find the third floor of the building engulfed in smoke and flames, Haigh said.  As one of the police officers arrived there was a small explosion, and the officer was cut in his hand.

Fire department crews evacuated residents of the building. One man and two juveniles, a boy and girl, were rescued from the building.  About an hour after the fire started, fire crews pulled another man out from inside the building.  He was airlifted to Harborview with burns, Haigh said.  His condition is not know.

About 200 residents were displaced by the fire and about 75 of them are being sheltered by Red Cross at Skagit Valley College, which is right across the street from the Cascade West apartments (N. 26th St and College Way)

The cause of the fire and damage estimate have not been determined.

We will update this story as new information is available.



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