{
  "id": "2025-07-05-university-of-washington-alpha-sigma-phi-fire",
  "slug": "university-of-washington-alpha-sigma-phi-fire-2025-07-05",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Washington",
    "shortName": "UW",
    "state": "WA",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "UW Alert",
    "enrollment": 48000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2025-07-05",
    "type": "fire",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "headline": "Fire, July 5, 2025",
    "summary": "A two-alarm fire likely sparked by fireworks tore through the [Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity house](https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-fire-department-confirms-safe-evacuation-in-early-morning-fraternity-fire-greek-row-uw-unicersity-district-alpha-sigma-phi-fraternity-university-of-washington-two-alarm-fire-break-out) at 4554 19th Avenue NE in the University District during the early hours of July 5, 2025, hours after July 4 celebrations. More than 80 Seattle firefighters responded beginning around 3:49 a.m., and a [UW Alert update at 5:07 a.m.](https://hoodline.com/2025/07/80-firefighters-quell-blaze-at-university-of-washington-fraternity-amid-fourth-of-july-fireworks-concerns/) confirmed that all individuals inside had been accounted for. No injuries were reported, but the fire displaced dozens of residents and caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage.",
    "outcome": "Investigators determined the cause was undetermined but likely fireworks. Firefighters completed primary and secondary searches and confirmed all residents evacuated safely; 30 to 50 fraternity members were displaced.",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2025-07-05T04:25:00-07:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "4:25 a.m. - The Seattle Fire Department is responding to a fire at Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, 4554 19th Avenue NE. No injuries have been reported. Avoid the area.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/uwalert/status/1941459662970491224",
      "sourceDescription": "@uwalert on X (official, verbatim fire alert)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official @uwalert X status; also posted on emergency.uw.edu blog"
      ],
      "characterCount": 163
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2025-07-05T05:07:00-07:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE 5:07 a.m. – Firefighters have concluded their search of the building and confirmed all residents were safely evacuated from the fraternity.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/uwalert/status/1941470484841013728",
      "sourceDescription": "@uwalert on X (official, verbatim search complete)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official @uwalert X reply/update; also on emergency.uw.edu blog"
      ],
      "characterCount": 146
    }
  ],
  "context": "The fire struck the Alpha Sigma Phi house at [4554 19th Avenue NE](https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-fire-department-confirms-safe-evacuation-in-early-morning-fraternity-fire-greek-row-uw-unicersity-district-alpha-sigma-phi-fraternity-university-of-washington-two-alarm-fire-break-out) in the University District in the early morning hours of July 5, 2025, against the backdrop of a chaotic night of Fourth of July fireworks across Seattle. More than 80 firefighters responded to the two-alarm blaze, which heavily damaged the roof, attic, and top floor. [Hoodline](https://hoodline.com/2025/07/80-firefighters-quell-blaze-at-university-of-washington-fraternity-amid-fourth-of-july-fireworks-concerns/) reported that a UW Alert update at 5:07 a.m. confirmed all individuals inside had been accounted for, and the [Spokesman-Review](https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/09/uw-frat-house-fire-likely-caused-by-fireworks/) later reported investigators believed fireworks likely caused the fire, though the official cause was undetermined. [KING 5](https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/fraternity-reward-fire-uw/281-6636c9b8-f880-40ab-a7a0-df11c951aed5) reported the fraternity offered a $10,000 reward for information and that the fire displaced dozens of students with an estimated $1.5 million in damage. The case shows UW Alert's role in fire emergencies in the densely packed Greek row, where confirming that every resident escaped is the central public-safety message.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "UW Alert's 5:07 a.m. update (confirming all residents accounted for) served as the functional all-clear for a fire, not a shelter lift",
    "More than 80 firefighters fought the two-alarm blaze; no injuries were reported despite roughly $1.5 million in damage",
    "Investigators attributed the fire as likely caused by fireworks following July 4 celebrations, though the official cause was undetermined",
    "The fire displaced 30 to 50 fraternity residents in UW's University District Greek row"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Seattle frat house evacuated after early-morning 2-alarm fire - KOMO News",
      "url": "https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-fire-department-confirms-safe-evacuation-in-early-morning-fraternity-fire-greek-row-uw-unicersity-district-alpha-sigma-phi-fraternity-university-of-washington-two-alarm-fire-break-out",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "80 Firefighters Quell Blaze at University of Washington Fraternity Amid Fourth of July Fireworks Concerns - Hoodline",
      "url": "https://hoodline.com/2025/07/80-firefighters-quell-blaze-at-university-of-washington-fraternity-amid-fourth-of-july-fireworks-concerns/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "UW frat house fire 'likely' caused by fireworks - The Spokesman-Review",
      "url": "https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/09/uw-frat-house-fire-likely-caused-by-fireworks/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Fraternity offers $10,000 reward for information on fire that displaced dozens at UW - KING 5",
      "url": "https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/fraternity-reward-fire-uw/281-6636c9b8-f880-40ab-a7a0-df11c951aed5",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "@uwalert on X (official, verbatim fire alert)",
      "url": "https://x.com/uwalert/status/1941459662970491224",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@uwalert on X (official, verbatim search complete)",
      "url": "https://x.com/uwalert/status/1941470484841013728",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "UW Alert Blog July 5, 2025",
      "url": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2025/07/05/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "fire",
    "fraternity",
    "greek-life",
    "alpha-sigma-phi",
    "fireworks",
    "washington",
    "university-district",
    "emergency-notification"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-28",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-18",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}