A fire alarm from a Kent East Hill apartment complex located at the 27300 block of 129 Avenue S.E. was received by Valley Com Dispatch Center at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 and was initially reported as a mattress fire.

Emergency Units from the Kent Fire Department, Valley Regional Fire Authority and King County Medic One were dispatched to the reported fire. The first arriving fire engine reported the building alarms sounding; the building evacuated and found a mattress burning on the ground outside the apartment. The mattress was quickly extinguished and the fire crew entered the apartment and found fire in an upstairs bedroom and bathroom. Those fires were also quickly extinguished. The crew then searched for hidden fire in the attic and other spaces and none was found.

Cause of the fire was determined by the Fire Investigator to be the improper disposal of smoking materials in the bedroom. One apartment unit sustained fire, smoke and water damage. A neighboring unit also sustained water damage. The total damage is estimated at $50,000.

The family of four adults and three children are being provided shelter and assistance by the Red Cross. One resident of the apartment was reported injured. She was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital. No firefighter injuries were reported.

The entire apartment complex is fully sprinklered and alarmed. The fire activated the sprinklers in the apartment unit and is credited with keeping the fires from growing and spreading to other units.

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