Roof Fire Prompts Evacuation of Totem Lake Area Retirement Home

A small fire on a roof being repaired led to the evacuation of dozens of residents at the retirement center in the Totem Lake area Monday afternoon.

The Kirkland Firefighters Facebook page reported that the entire four-story building at 12215 NE 128th Street, just across the street from , was evacuated. It said initial reports indicated a roof fire and smoke in the building.

There were no injuries and the fire was put out before firefighters from Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell and Woodinville arrived. The fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. and residents, led outside by staff and firefighters, were allowed back in the center within an hour.

"It was a fire out on (our) arrival," said Capt. Margo Freeman, the acting Kirkland Fire Department battalion chief at the time. "Our big problem was smoke in the building. We had to evacuate the whole building."

Freeman said the evacuation with the help of the Madison House staff went smoothly.

"The staff had pre-planned and did a great job," she said.

Residents were led back in after the smoke was ventilated from the building, she said.

Diane Umayan, Madison House general manager, said the smoke entered the building during a roofing project underway at the center.

"By late afternoon, all the residents were back in the building and enjoying strawberry shortcake and a good dinner," she said. "It was an exercise in caution and it worked out."