At 3:20 a.m. November 2, Arlington police units were called to investigate a burglar alarm in the Smokey Point Plaza shopping center. When they arrived on the scene, they quickly alerted the fire department that a structure at one end of the building was fully involved in fire.

When the fire crews arrived, they reported hearing what sounded like ammunition firing inside the pawn shop, where the fire was at its peak. Crews took a defensive position to fighting the fire, then broke windows and fought the fire from inside the stores on the west side and through the store's attic.

After about an hour, the crews had the fire fully under control, limiting the major damage to four businesses. Two businesses in the strip mall were completely destroyed.

All thirteen shops in the complex lost power, but PUD crews have since restored power to those not affected by the fire.

Snohomish County Fire Marshall and Arlington Police Department joined forces with the Arlington Fire Department to investigate the cause of the fire, which was still unknown at press time.

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