A combination of 11 fire department resources from Eastside Fire & Rescue (EFR) and Bellevue Fire Department were on the scene of a non-injury blaze at Mercer Island’s Aviara Apartments on the evening of June 17.

According to EFR Assistant Chief of Operations Will Aho, Mercer Island units were on scene first after receiving an alert at about 5:45 p.m. regarding the Town Center incident.

Upon their arrival, firefighters located smoke in one of the fifth-floor units. Aho said that a sprinkler extinguished the fire and the responders didn’t need to engage in a fire extension or spray any water in the apartment.

“Our crews had, obviously, supplies in place if it extended. But because it was already under control, we just needed to go up there and verify that there was no extension outside of the room of origin, which there was not. So the sprinkler system did its job,” Aho said.

Aho said the small fire was accidental, caused only minor damage to a singular cabinet and the fire investigator is currently working to determine the final cause.

There were no evacuations necessary or need to help shelter residents in place, Aho said. At about 6 p.m. — when the fire was extinguished — the city of Mercer Island noted that responders were working to ventilate the smoke and secure the sprinkler system. Crews were on site until about 7:20 p.m.

During their time on site, water ran between multiple floors and responders tried to help minimize damage in some third- and fourth-floor units by throwing tarps and plastic over people’s furniture.

“The crews worked with management and the tenants to salvage what they could in there,” Aho said.