Residents of a Marysville neighborhood faced a house fire on Monday night at the 4500 block of 131st Place NE, which began in the garage and quickly spread to the living quarters. Fortunately, the occupants evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported to either residents or firefighters, as reported by the Marysville Fire District.
Fire crews, aided by neighboring departments, took nearly fifty minutes to fully extinguish the blaze, and early investigations determined the cause to be "improperly discarded cigarette ashes." The fire caused damage exceeding $180,000, a cost far greater than the price of a simple metal ashtray with a lid, as stated by the Marysville Fire District.
According to the Marysville Fire District on their Facebook page, North County Regional Fire Authority, Snohomish County Fire District #22, Tulalip Bay Fire Department, Marysville WA Police, Snohomish County Fire Marshals, and Snohomish County 911 responded to the incident. The American Red Cross provided support to affected residents. The district advised that cigarettes and ashes should "never be placed in trash or recycling bins" and should be disposed of in a metal container with a lid. More fire prevention tips are available on their website.
