Background
Fires in vacant buildings have become a growing, serious problem for the city. There were 77 incidents in 2021, 91 in 2022, and a staggering 130 fires in 2023. In the first three and a half months of 2024 alone, there were 30 fires in derelict structures.
Just this morning, a fire in a vacant apartment building in Roosevelt killed one person and injured three others.
Another alarming incident this year was a three-alarm blaze at a vacant apartment building in First Hill that required over 100 firefighters to contain. The fire displaced residents in a neighboring building and shut down a major arterial for several weeks. In 2023, three people lost their lives in fires that started in vacant, dangerous buildings.
What the legislation does
The bill passed today will allow the City to address vacant dangerous buildings using a variety of tools. The legislation:
- Amends the Seattle Fire Code to allow SFD to order remediation or complete demolition of derelict buildings.
- Requires property owners to pay for necessary work to make dangerous buildings or sites safe.
- In extreme cases, authorizes the City to conduct needed abatement work to improve the safety of a site and place liens on properties to recover costs.
The Seattle Fire Department has identified over 40 vacant buildings potentially impacted by this legislation, all of which have had at least one fire. Funding included with the legislation is anticipated to allow SFD to address four buildings in 2024.
What’s next
Now that the bill has been passed by the Council, it heads to the Mayor’s desk for signature. Because of the emergency clause, it will take effect immediately if signed by Mayor Harrell.