Tacoma Fire: Discarded cigarette sparks minor rooftop apartment building blaze

Tacoma fire fighters responded Wednesday morning to a report of a rooftop apartment fire near the city’s Stadium District. According to Tacoma Fire Department officials, fire fighters arrived at approximately 8:35 a.m. to find dark smoke billowing from the roof of the five-story building located in the 300 block of North Tacoma Avenue. Once on the roof, crews discovered a deck made of composite material fully engulfed in flames. Fire fighters extinguished the blaze and confirmed there was no further damage to the roof or the apartments below. None of the occupants needed to be evacuated and there were no injuries to report. The cause of the fire was an improperly discarded cigarette that ignited a foam cushion that dropped down on the decking, according to Tacoma Fire Department officials. The fire caused approximately $875 in damages.