Several buildings near Seattle’s S Charles Street were evacuated overnight after an underground vault fire, with officials reporting no injuries. The incident prompted a safety perimeter in a busy stretch of the city while firefighters worked to address the fire below street level.
The Seattle Fire Department said impacted buildings in the 700 block of S Charles Street were evacuated as a precaution and asked people to avoid the area. The department identified the incident as an underground vault fire but did not immediately provide details about the cause, utility service impacts or when the buildings could be reoccupied.
Seattle Has Specialized Crews For Underground Electrical Fires
Vault fires can involve energized electrical equipment in confined spaces, creating hazards for both firefighters and nearby occupants. The Seattle Fire Department has an Energy Response Unit trained to handle fires in substations and underground vaults, including the use of carbon dioxide to suppress flames without conducting electricity.
The incident also fits a recurring infrastructure risk in Seattle. A city emergency-planning document says Seattle experienced 20 electrical vault fires between 2016 and the document’s publication, noting that underground fires can sometimes cause localized power outages.
Officials Have Not Announced Further Damage Details
The initial fire department update did not report injuries, structural damage or the number of buildings affected. People near the 700 block should continue avoiding the area and follow instructions from emergency officials while crews and utility personnel complete their work.
Additional information about the fire’s cause, any power disruptions and the timeline for reopening the buildings had not been released in the department’s initial update.
