Seattle Police are searching for the man they believe set several building fires this week, including torching a funeral home in Columbia City.
Columbia Funeral Home and Crematory burned earlier this week and was slated to have services for a family in mourning. That family’s loss of a loved one was compounded by the arson just days before services were set to take place.
Nida Martin died in mid-July after a battle with colon cancer, and her viewing was supposed to be at Columbia Funderal Friday evening. With the building still bearing the scars of arson, that viewing did not happen as planned.
The Martin’s found another location, but the fire nearly robbed them of a chance to mourn.
Tyler Martin choked back tears as he thought of his mother and what would have happened if his mother had been in the funeral home when it burned.
“There’s only so much…so many times I can see my mom,” Tyler said.
The Martins spoke to KIRO 7 Friday evening, still trying to make sense of losing a loved one and then losing the funeral home that was all set to receive them this weekend.
The Martin family said they do not understand is why anyone would set fire to the funeral home that was set to honor and celebrate her life.
Robert Martin heard the news of the fire, and while trying to come to terms with losing his wife, he watched the funeral home he selected burn.
“I was totally devastated,” he said.
For Robert Martin, seeing the fire consuming the Columbia Funeral Home prompted extreme fear that his deceased wife’s body would be lost to the flames.
“They assured me that my wife had been placed in a different location so that was a relief for me,” Robert Martin said.
He said he made several calls to the owners of the funeral home who assured him that his wife and copies of her paperwork had been preserved.
The Martins spoke to KIRO 7 outside a Covington funeral home, an alternate site for her viewing that was selected by Columbia Funeral for the family.
Christian Martin admits, Columbia Funeral helped them find alternate sites but says it should never have come to that for his mother.
“It was pretty frustrating honestly. Two days away from it having to scramble. My dad was going through a lot…I just don’t get why someone would do that to be honest with you.”
On Friday, video was released of the arson suspect showing him coming to the funeral home building and lighting it up. A scene the Martin’s had to watch in horror.
Tyler Martin also failed to see why anyone would set fire to any building, let alone a funeral home that families rely on.
“It’s kind of heartbreaking and shocking when I first heard about it, it kind of felt like it was a nightmare.”
A $10,000 reward has been offered by the Arson Alarm Foundation for information that leads to an arrest of the arson suspect.
If you have any information on any of the fires, or know who the suspect is in the funeral home arson, call AAF at 1-800-552-7766.
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