A fire that burned a fourplex in University Place and sent one person to the hospital early Monday morning has been deemed as a likely arson stemming from a domestic violence incident, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
It was just after midnight when deputies and firefighters were called to the 4400 block of 76th Ave West to find the fourplex completely engulfed in flames.
"I opened the door then I look and I see a black cloud coming to our doorstop," said resident Rosemary Ngunia. "So we ran inside, called our mom, took our daughter and we ran outside. Everybody was running out, up and down trying to figure out what was going on."
As deputies arrived and worked to make sure the burning apartments and nearby units were safely evacuated, they received word a woman was still trapped in the building.