On Saturday, April 25, 2015, at 11:19AM, the Snoqualmie Fire Department, with assistance from Eastside Fire & Rescue, responded to a fire at the City of Snoqualmie Waste Water Treatment Facility located at 38190 SE Sterns Road.
By Monday evening, April 27th, the Snoqualmie City Council was being asked to ratify a Proclamation Of Emergency to deal with the estimated $25,000 in damages caused by the fire.
According to Snoqualmie Fire Chief Mark Correira, two city employees called in the April 25th fire when it was noticed burning in the attic space near the vent pipe of the solid waste drying unit.
Correira stated they were fortunate to have city staff on site when the fire occurred, as they called 911 before the automatic alarm system triggered, which helped expedite the emergency response.
The building’s sprinkler system activated, slowing the spread of the fire, but it was still active in the attic space when firefighters arrived on the scene.
Crews had to access the roof on an aerial ladder to confirm the fire was extinguished. The damage was limited to the roof, roof sheeting and trusses. No injuries were reported.
The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Fire Investigation Unit determined the fire was accidental, caused by heat from the drying unit.
According to a City Council Agenda staff report, a fire insurance claim was filed with the Washington Cities Insurance Authority. The $5,000 deductible will be paid from the City Clerk’s Risk Management budget, which allocates funding for these types of city expenditures.
