VIDEO: Two people suffered life-threatening injuries in an apartment fire in Sammamish, according to Eastside Fire & Rescue. Crews responded to the two-alarm fire in the 3000 block of 230th Lane Southeast and found heavy fire conditions inside one apartment unit. Firefighters pulled two victims from the unit, both with life-threatening injuries. Deputy Chief Kara Putnam said crews driving nearby on their way to training spotted smoke coming from the building and rushed to the apartment complex.

“Crews just happened to be driving by there on their way to some training, and they saw it and got right into action,” Putnam said. Firefighters say one victim was found outside the apartment while crews entered the burning unit in “rescue mode” to search for a second victim. Putnam said both victims are believed to be adults in their mid-20s. One was initially taken to Overlake Medical Center and the other to Harborview Medical Center. Officials said the fire was contained to a single apartment unit.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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A window-mounted air conditioning unit reportedly exploded during a fire at a duplex in Yelm, according to the SE Thurston Fire Authority. Fire officials said crews were told a candle caught a bedroom on fire before flames involved the AC unit, which exploded.

Firefighters from SE Thurston Fire Authority, Lacey Fire District 3, South Thurston Fire & Rescue, and East Olympia Fire Department responded to the scene near 103rd Avenue. The Yelm Police Department also helped evacuate residents from a neighboring unit.

When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from one side of the small duplex. The fire had spread slightly into the attic area before firefighters were able to put it out. The Red Cross was called to assist the displaced family. No residents or firefighters were injured, but some pets died in the fire.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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VIDEO: For Executive Director Joy Throndsen, the work is close to home. “I personally have a soft spot for the EMTs,” she said, “My father having gone through a personal thing…my heart goes out to those particular first responders.” That kind of personal investment — knowing exactly what it feels like to need help and not know where to turn — is woven into the fabric of Lionhardt. The organization prides itself not just on what it provides, but on how fast it moves.

“We pride ourselves on being nimble and quick,” Laidlaw said. “We have a lot of flexibility in what we do.” For a family suddenly navigating a devastating diagnosis or a traumatic injury, that speed can mean everything. Every dollar donated to Lionhardt flows directly to first responders and their families — filling the gaps that even good benefits can’t always cover, in the moments when everything else has already been stretched too thin.

Financial help can come in the form of paying for medical bills, groceries, home repairs, utility bills, counseling, burial or memorial ceremonies, and other needs, according to Laidlaw.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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In recent months, two firefighters have retired from Clallam County Fire District 3. Firefighter/EMT John McIntyre retired on March 28, and Captain Kevin Van De Wege on April 30. District officials honored them with ceremonies on March 27 for McIntyre and April 22 for Van De Wege, who also served as a state representative (2007-2016) and a senator (2017-Oct. 1, 2024) for the 24th district while in the fire service.

According to district documents, McIntyre began as a volunteer for the district on Feb. 3, 1992 and joined the district’s maintenance division on Jan. 1, 2001. He transferred to become a career firefighter/EMT on June 1, 2017 working on A shift. Van De Wege started working for the fire district as a firefighter/paramedic on April 9, 2001. He was promoted to lieutenant on July 1, 2008 and then to captain on Oct. 1, 2021. He retired serving on the district’s B shift.

Sequim Gazette – Metered Site

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Spokane County has received a federal grant to fund wildfire prevention projects in four conservation areas as officials prepare for the upcoming fire season. The newly accepted FEMA grant will support fire mitigation work at Haynes , Holmberg, Beacon Hill, and McKenzie Conservation Areas. The projects aim to clear fire-burning materials that could help wildfires spread through these areas. The initiative comes as residents remember recent wildfire threats in the region. A wildfire on Beacon Hill previously forced hundreds of people to evacuate and threatened nearby homes.

“The fire moved very, very quickly. And we got to the point, at least in this neighborhood, that we had to be prepared. And it was very nerve wracking,” said Ben Van Meter, who lives near Beacon Hill. “You had to think through like, okay, what are the absolute essentials that we need to grab and get out of here in case the fire does move quickly in our direction?” Van Meter’s experience reflects the concerns of many residents living near forested areas in the Pacific Northwest. The proximity to natural areas brings both benefits and risks for homeowners.

KAYU-TV FOX 28 Spokane

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