SEQUIM — Smoke reported late Monday afternoon coming from the roof over Sequim Village Shopping Center space shared by Sequim Police Department and Clallam County Sheriff’s Office appears to have spared the law enforcement agencies from a more fiery fate.
“Luckily we caught it early,” Assistant Fire Chief Ben Andrews said at the scene.
At about 5:10 p.m. Police Chief Bill Dickinson called on Clallam County Fire District 3 in Sequim to respond to smoke coming from the roof over the afternoon sergeant’s office, which was undergoing re-roofing work by Emerald Roofing, a Sequim-based roofing contractor that was ordered by the city of Sequim.
District 3 Assistant Chief Ben Andrews said although an investigation was under way, it was likely that tarring caused the minor fire in attic space just under the roof top
“There are not many other possibilities,” Andrews said after firefighters scaled a ladder and used an ax to cut a hole in the roof, exposing about 2 feet to examine it.
Police Chief Dickinson said he and other officers were “very aware” of the smell of tar and noise from above all day Monday but late in the day the afternoon sergeant reported “it’s really starting to get smoky in my office.”
That’s when Dickinson ordered that it be reported to the fire district.
While no formal evacuation of the space took place, Dickinson said at one point officers re-entered the building to consider what to take out if evacuation was necessary.
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