Scene of a three-alarm fire that burned the Masin's Furniture store early Monday morning in Bellevue, Wash. (KING Photo)

Furniture Store Ablaze in Bellevue

December 17, 2001, 10:15 AM

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By king5.com Staff

No injuries were reported in a three-alarm fire that burned the Masin's Furniture store early Monday morning in Bellevue, Wash. in the "old Bellevue" section of the city at 102nd and Main.

A witness who lives in the area said he heard an explosion behind the furniture store just before he saw flames shoot up.

"I happened to be standing outside with the Seattle Times guy, and we heard an explosion across the street behind the Masin's Furniture store," James Tobin said. "Immediately we saw ...flames illuminating."

Bellevue Fire Chief Peter Lucarelli said explosions reported during the three-alarm fire were caused by super-heating in the blaze.

The three-alarm fire started at about 5 a.m., and the flames rose high above the building in the night sky. The three floors in the burned-out furniture store have pancaked, the fire chief said.

Five other businesses were located on the third floor of the burning building, including a salon, tailor shop and computer business.

Lt. Todd Dickerboom of the Bellevue Fire Department told KING5 News the building does not contain a sprinkler system.

"One of the main problems we're encountering is that it is not a fire sprinkler building, so right from the beginning we've been behind," Dickerboom said. "The fire was large enough from the beginning that firefighters have had to fight the fire from the exterior the entire time," Dickerboom said.

All Bellevue fire units were on the scene as well as firefighters from Redmond and Kirkland.

Firefighters evacuated a nearby apartment building, the Courtyard Apartments, as a precaution. Residents were allowed back in before 7 a.m.

Dickerboom said adjoining business would not be considered safe for entry until firefighers could examine the area.

The location is west of Interstate 405 and four blocks south of Bellevue Square Mall.

Some nearby streets will be closed in the immediate vicinity while the investigation was under way, Dickerboom said. They include Bellevue Way (east of the building,) 102nd Avenue N.E., N.E. 2nd Street and S.E. 3rd Street.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.