Detectives search for man, pickup truck after deadly Concrete fire

Detectives search for man, pickup truck after deadly Skagit County fire

Detectives are looking for a man driving a blue pickup truck after a deadly house fire last week in Concrete.

CONCRETE, Wash. - Detectives are looking for a man driving a pickup truck after a deadly house fire last week in Concrete.

On Aug. 9, Skagit County deputies responded to a report of a fire in a building on SR-530 near Arlington.

When authorities arrived, they found a two-story home destroyed after a fire.

During an investigation, detectives discovered the address was of a non-law enforcement, contract Skagit County employee. Because of the connection, the Mount Vernon Police Department took over the investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Washington State Patrol and Skagit County Fire Marshall will also help the agency with the investigation.

According to Mount Vernon police, three people died in the fire. The Skagit County Coroner’s Office will be handling the identification of the victims and notification of the next of kin.

Investigators believe there was a fourth person at the house when the fire broke out, but he appeared to have left with his truck. Police have identified 49-year-old Jason Birman as a person of interest in the fire, and unaccounted for is his blue 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck with Washington license plate C67636L.

Birman is known to frequent Skagit and Whatcom counties.

Anyone who may have any information or witnessed the fire is asked to call the 24-hour dispatch information number 360-428-3211 or during business hours, call Mount Vernon Police at 360-336-6271.