South County firefighters rescued two people and a dog from the window of a third-floor apartment, as fire tore through the building in Mountlake Terrace early Sunday.

Firefighters responded to the Taluswood Apartments in the 4300 block of 236^th St SW, shortly after 12 a.m. As firefighters arrived, heavy smoke and fire poured from a three-story apartment building. Firefighters quickly saw two adults at the window of a unit on the upper floor and used a ladder to rescue both people and a dog. The man and woman, approximately in their 20s, were transported to Swedish Edmonds Hospital in stable condition and have since been discharged. The dog did not require medical intervention.

Fire spread across the second and third floor and into the attic of the impacted building. Firefighters conducted searches of the 12 primarily affected units and evacuated people from 12 adjacent units. Thankfully, everyone else safely escaped.

This response was upgraded to a second alarm to bring in additional resources. More than 60 firefighters responded. 

After controlling the fire, firefighters continued to extinguish hotspots until around 2 a.m. During the response, a firefighter was treated at the scene for a minor injury. Two additional civilians were evaluated by firefighters and did not require further medical care.

Residents in 13 apartment units are displaced, including at least 24 adults, one child and 15 pets. All are being assisted with immediate needs by Support 7 and American Red Cross volunteers.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. Preliminary damage costs are still being estimated. Shoreline Fire and Bothell Fire Department provided assistance with this response.

Modern homes burn faster, largely due to synthetic furniture and open layouts – meaning you may have less than three minutes to escape a fire. A home fire escape plan and working smoke alarms are critical to getting out safely. Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years and installed in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home.