Fire destroys barn used as housing in East Olympia early Friday, displacing 14 people
A residential structure burned down in East Olympia early Friday morning, displacing 14 people and injuring two.
The fire occurred near the intersection of Ayer Street and 80th Avenue Southeast. East Olympia Fire District 6 responded to the fire at 3:13 a.m. and found a fully-involved two-story structure with outbuildings and cars catching on fire, Fire Chief Andrew Schaffran told The Olympian.
Fire crews battled the blaze for a couple hours and remained on scene into the late morning, he said. He described the structure as a barn that had been converted into a residential building and housed multiple families. He said it was a “total loss.”
Fourteen people were impacted by the fire, including two men who were injured, Schaffran said. One person was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital and the second was treated on the scene.
Schaffran said the Red Cross was called to assist the people displaced by the fire.
About 25 firefighters responded to the blaze, he said. South Thurston Fire and EMS, Lacey Fire District 3, West Thurston Regional Fire Authority and McLane Black Lake Fire Department assisted East Olympia Fire District 6, he said.
The cause of fire remained under investigation Friday, Schaffran said.
Due to the fire, power was shut down for the whole block, he said. Puget Sound Energy crews were working to restore power, he said Friday.
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM.
