One killed, one hospitalized by Centralia apartment building fire Wednesday

One person died and another was hospitalized following a Wednesday apartment building fire in Centralia.

The fire occurred at an apartment building on the 300 block of West Pine Street. The Riverside Fire Authority and Centralia Police Department responded to the blaze at about 6:22 a.m. after locals reported audible fire alarms and heavy smoke, according to a news release from Centralia Emergency Management.

Police arrived at the scene first to find flames on the third floor of the building. Fire crews arrived shortly after.

Officers and detectives immediately began evacuating residents, which the news release says involved forcibly entering multiple apartments to wake them. First responders helped people in wheelchairs, people needing walkers and people with pets.

Medics transported two people from different apartments to Providence Centralia Hospital for breathing issues, but the release says one of them later died.

Twin Transit transported evacuated residents to the Centralia Salvation Army while fire crews fought the blaze and later investigated the scene. The Salvation Army provided shelter, blankets and breakfast to the affected residents.

The American Red Cross is coordinating with three families who were unable to return to their damaged apartment units. The release says the Lewis County Chaplaincy also assisted residents at the scene.

As events unfolded, the City of Centralia opened its Emergency Operation Center to coordinate among first responders, victims, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and Twin Transit.

The Riverside Fire Authority was assisted by the Chehalis Fire Department, Lewis County Fire District #5 (Napavine), Lewis County Fire District #6 (Chehalis), West Thurston Regional Fire Authority, and American Medical Response (AMR).

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.