OMG PD: Man Spars with Kirkland Firefighters in Smoke-Filled Apartment

A routine fire call turned a bit strange Saturday night as a man who was found unconscious in his smoke-filled apartment woke up and began fighting Kirkland firefighters as they tried to get him out to safety.

Kirkland firefighters were called to a fire Saturday, June 1, when neighbors smelled smoke coming from a second-floor apartment at the Aspen Creek Apartments, Kirkland Fire Battalion Chief Joe Sanford said. 

When firefighters entered the apartment, which was filled with smoke from a pan of food burning on the stove, they found a man unconscious on the floor. Not sure if he had succumbed to smoke inhalation and unable to rouse him, they attempted to remove him from the apartment to safety, but that's where things got a little strange.

Sanford said the man woke up and became belligerent, appearing to be intoxicated, and tried to fight off the firefighters. They then called Kirkland Police to help remove him from the apartment so they could make sure there was no fire elsewhere. The unit suffered smoke damage, Sanford said. 

A downstairs neighbor shared photos of the police arriving at the scene, and said she saw a number of empty beer containers in the apartment.