SEATTLE -- The Seattle Fire Department ruled Wednesday that Tuesday night's large barge fire on the Duwamish River was accidental and it estimated damage at $1 million.



The barge was loaded with crushed cars -- scrap metal -- and fire officials did not say exactly how the fire began. The barge was moored in the 600 block of S. Myrtle Street in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.



The black plume of smoke from the blaze could be seen as far away as Tacoma.





View of billowing smoke from Sea-Tac International Airport. (Photo courtesy of KJ Cottrell)





On Wednesday, Department of Ecology officers were checking the area for pollution. The DOE said they would check for oil or any other fuel that may have drained off the barge.









Seattle Fire Capt. Shata Stevenson said they got a call about the fire at about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday and it took them 50 minutes to an hour to get the blaze under control. He said it was going "at a pretty good intensity" when they arrived.



One firefighter received minor injuries, he said. No one else was injured.











