No one was injured Thursday evening when two units of a vacant apartment building on the 600 block of Eklund Avenue in Hoquiam were heavily damaged by a fire. Two adjacent garages were also damaged as a result of the blaze reported just before 9:30 p.m.

Investigators are considering it “suspicious” as they investigate the site to pinpoint the exact cause.

Hoquiam Fire Department Capt. Matt Miller said personnel from the Hoquiam and Aberdeen fire departments responded to the location and that 14 fire fighters worked to knock down the blaze, which caused an estimated $50,000 total damage to two apartment units — two rooms on the top floor unit and two rooms on the bottom floor unit— and two adjacent garages.

People living next door left their residence before emergency crews arrived. No one was in the apartment building or one of the two neighboring homes, Miller said.

The apartment building was being renovated.

Estimated damage to the apartment building and the two adjacent garages is said to by close to $50,000. (BOB KIRKPATRICK|THE DAILY WORLD)