A fire possibly caused by an unattended candle severely damaged two Northwest Bellevue apartments Monday, but the residents were able to escape without injury.

The blaze, first reported at 8:50 a.m., started in a first-floor apartment at the Cedar Terrace Apartments in the 3200 block of 115th Avenue Northeast. According to the report, flames were shooting out of the window and extending to the roof of the two-story building. Several used fire extinguishers lay near the window where bystanders attempted to battle the flames.

The young woman who lived in the first-floor apartment told firefighters she had left a votive candle burning unattended in a bedroom. Woken by a smoke detector alarm, she fled the apartment.   

Firefighters from Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond worked to control the fire. The blaze damaged two units to the point that they will need repair work before they will be habitable again. An apartment manager said all displaced residents would immediately be able to move into available units that are on site.

The damage estimate to the building is expected to be nearly $200,000. 

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