Cat found dead after fire at Tumwater apartment building Thursday night
The Tumwater Fire Department said on social media Thursday night that units were on scene of an apartment fire at Montair at Somerset Hill.
The apartment complex is located at 1704 Barnes Blvd. SW in Tumwater.
The department made the post on social media at 11:44 p.m. on July 16. According to the post, a fire started in a first-floor unit and started to move to the second floor before it was contained by fire crews. It was put out shortly after, and all occupants were accounted for, according to the post.
Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Crimmins told The Olympian that units were originally dispatched to the fire at 10:56 p.m., and it was contained by 11:06 p.m. He said firefighters conducted a search of the main apartment unit as well as the adjacent ones, and no people were harmed. He said a cat was found deceased in the main unit. Crimmins said the woman who lives in that unit was displaced.
Crimmins said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but that it does not appear suspicious. He said the fire affected the building’s fire alarm system, and all the residents had to find somewhere else to stay for the night for safety reasons. He said everyone appeared to have a place to go, and units stayed on the scene for several hours to assist people.
The department said it was assisted by the Olympia Fire Department, Lacey Fire District 3, McLane/Black Lake Fire Department, and East Olympia Fire District 6.
This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 10:03 AM.
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