From South King Fire and Rescue:

Firefighters responded to a fire 8 p.m. March 7 at 31418 3rd Place S.W. in Federal Way. The fire was in a single upstairs apartment.

Upon arrival, firefighters found an apartment filled with heavy smoke and fire with reports that there was a possible occupant. Firefighters found a man inside the apartment unconscious and unresponsive. He was brought outside where CPR was performed. While all efforts were made to resuscitate him, he died at the scene. The fire was extinguished in about 10 minutes after firefighters arrived.

A cat also perished in the apartment. No other adjoining apartments sustained any damage and those residents were able to return to their homes.

The fire most likely started in the kitchen, according to SKFR investigators. There was a smoke alarm in the apartment, but neighbors did not hear it.

The last fatality fire in Federal Way was November 2007, when a person died in a residential fire.