Seattle, WA — Seattle police arrested a 29-year-old man early Tuesday morning after he allegedly set a recycling dumpster on fire beneath an occupied apartment building in the First Hill neighborhood and assaulted officers during his arrest.
According to the Seattle Police Department, officers responded to an arson call at 1:26 a.m. in the 600 block of 9th Avenue after reports that a suspect had lit a fence and a recycling dumpster on fire. Firefighters with the Seattle Fire Department extinguished the fire, which caused significant damage to the dumpster, including melted lids and burned contents.
Firefighters told officers they moved the burning dumpster away from a carport attached to the apartment building, which was occupied at the time. Investigators noted the fire was set directly beneath residential units with vehicles parked nearby and that no sprinkler system was located near the dumpster, increasing the risk that the fire could have spread to the building.
A witness told police they had seen the suspect earlier going through the recycling dumpster with a long fluorescent tube light and later returned to find the container smoking and on fire. Fire personnel said the suspect at the scene matched the witness’s description.
Officers located the man about a block away near 800 Jefferson Street, still carrying a fluorescent tube light. Police say the suspect resisted arrest and struck officers before being taken into custody.
Officers also recovered a backpack the suspect discarded nearby. Inside, police found lighters and hairspray. The suspect was transported to the East Precinct and later booked into King County Jail for investigation of arson, assault, and other related charges.
While police did not release a motive in this case, arson remains a persistent public safety concern in Seattle. FBI crime data shows Seattle consistently reports more arson incidents than any other city in Washington state, with more than 150 reported arson cases in a recent year. Nationally, tens of thousands of arson offenses are reported annually, many involving structures or vehicles, according to federal crime statistics.
Fire officials have repeatedly warned that intentionally set dumpster fires pose a serious danger because they often occur near buildings, vehicles, and combustible materials, creating a high risk of rapid fire spread and injury to residents and first responders.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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