For the Reporter
Five people have been displaced following a condominium fire in the Kent Valley on Saturday.
The fire, in the 8500 block of South 259 Street, was first reported at 1:30 p.m. When firefighters from the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority arrived, they were told that a couch was burning in a middle unit and that all the occupants had escaped.
Initial reports that no one was home were erroneous.
The fire was controlled within 20 minutes but the fire and smoke damage had spread to several other condos in the building due to a common attic space that allowed smoke and heat to travel horizontally.
No one was injured in the fire and Red Cross was requested to help two families, four adults and one child, with housing.
Fire investigators said the fire was caused by a child plugging in a toaster too close to combustibles, and is considered accidental.
It is unknown whether there were working smoke alarms in the unit.
In addition to the Kent Fire Department RFA, Valley Regional Fire Authority, King County Medic One, and the Zone 3 Fire Explorers responded to the call.
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