An early-morning RV fire tore through a quiet stretch of Burien’s Gregory Heights neighborhood on Monday, killing a man inside before crews could pull him out, officials said. The blaze broke out near the 16600 block of Marine View Drive Southwest, and firefighters arrived to find the motorhome fully engulfed in flames. Neighbors tried to reach the man but were forced back by thick, choking smoke.
King County Fire District 2 crews were dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. and reached the scene within minutes. Firefighters quickly knocked down the flames but found a single man already deceased inside the RV, according to The Seattle Times.
A neighbor first spotted smoke and, while on the phone with dispatchers, alerted people inside a nearby home. That neighbor and the homeowner both tried to contact the RV’s occupant but could not get close enough to enter because of the heavy smoke, as reported by B-Town Blog. No injuries to neighbors or responding firefighters were reported, officials said.
Investigation underway
Because the fire involved a death, the King County Fire Investigation Unit and Major Crimes detectives were called out to process the charred RV and determine how the blaze started. The victim’s identity will be released by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, authorities said, per The Seattle Times.
“All initial indicators are pointing at this being accidental,” Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Ray Desmarais told reporters, according to the paper.
What neighbors said and next steps
Investigators are expected to collect evidence and go over the vehicle in detail to pinpoint the cause of the fire, and detectives have asked anyone with video or information from the area to come forward. Residents in Gregory Heights said the early-morning blaze rattled the neighborhood but added they were relieved no one else was hurt.
Hoodline will update this story as officials release more details.
