TACOMA, Wash. — A local contractor died after a Tacoma shooting range caught fire Sunday night, the owner of the business told KIRO 7 News.
Bull’s Eye, an indoor shooting range located on Puyallup Avenue, accidentally caught fire Sunday night at about 6 p.m.
The Tacoma Fire Department said the accidental fire started inside a classroom on the second floor, which stored live ammunition and “loose gunpowder.”
When firefighters got to the scene, they were quickly alerted that a victim was possibly inside the burning building.
“They have low visibility. There’s heavy black smoke and they actually heard the ammunition popping in the fire in the background,” said Chelsea Shepherd, public information officer for the Tacoma Fire Department.
One person was sent to a hospital with serious injuries and a second person died.
Shepherd said several customers inside the burning shooting range were able to safely escape with the help of an employee.
“It was an employee of the business that helped them safely get outside,” said Shepherd. “It’s unfortunate that we lost one life in the fire and there was one injury, but we are grateful to that employee how he prevented other injuries from occurring in the fire.”
Investigators didn’t share any more details about the victims.
However, a close friend told KIRO 7 News off camera that the victim, who died, was a father and a husband.
“This is a very tragic thing that happened,” said Brittany Rusler, who works at Alfred’s Café, near the shooting range.
Rusler said the devastating fire impacted the tight-knit community, including her workers who serve several of the employees at Bull’s Eye.
“They lost one of their employees. I can’t imagine what they’re going through. You say goodbye to your buddy and come back the next day and he’s gone. It’s just not fair. It’s not right,” she said. “Someone died. An innocent person died.”
The owner of Bull’s Eye didn’t want to talk on camera, however, he told KIRO 7 News that the victim, who died, was a local contractor.
The business was closed Monday as police and firefighters stopped by the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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