Update: Garages burn in Arbor Heights

(video added 1:42 am – this is looking toward the alley through bushes from 40th SW, close as we could get, you can see the flames’ glow and hear sirens and also hear, then see, a chainsaw crews were using)
ORIGINAL POST: First engine arriving in 10000 block of 40th SW to a “garage fire” call reported via radio a “fully involved” garage – so we’re headed that way to check it out. Two garages and one vehicle burning, according to a subsequent scanner broadcast. 1:29 AM UPDATE: Just back from the scene. At least one garage burned along the alley between 40th and 41st in the 10000 block (map). Huge flames when we arrived – even bigger before we got there, according to neighbors on two sides of that block – who told us they heard explosion-type noises shortly after the fire started (not uncommon). Here’s what else one neighbor about a block west told us:

No official info just yet so everything we report will be from what we saw at the scene and learned from witnesses. No injuries so far as we could tell – a medic unit was there and left empty. Uploading video momentarily – we couldn’t get too close to a burning garage on a narrow alley, obviously, but the flames were clearly visible between houses from a vantage point on 40th. Also note, 100th and 102nd were still blocked off from 40th to 41st when we left a few minutes ago. 1:48 AM UPDATE: The SFD media hotline confirms “two garages about 10 feet apart” burned, no injuries. Scanner traffic is still very active, so fire crews clearly will be there for quite some time. 2:18 AM UPDATE: Still monitoring the scanner; seems at least one other media crew just got there a short time ago, so you might see something on at least one of the early morning newscasts. Here’s a photo from nearby resident Kevin McClintic that shows how thick the smoke was in the air, even more than a block away:

smokeinair.jpg

One more clip from our video, more notable for the sound than the picture … as one engine backs up to switch locations, you can hear lots more in the distance – many more arrived even after we got to the scene:

We will update whenever there’s more official info on the damage and any possible cause.

9 Replies to "Update: Garages burn in Arbor Heights"

  • aaron September 15, 2008 (12:39 am)

    on the 911 page it now Fire in Single Family Res

  • Dave September 15, 2008 (12:47 am)

    We’re near the intersection of Barton and 35th SW have never heard this many sirens – don’t smell or see anything tho.

  • dameDonna September 15, 2008 (12:48 am)

    I’ve been hearing sirens for the last 10-20 minutes. Thanks for ANY info. I hope no one is injured. This must be huge – I’ve never heard so many police and fire engines respond.

  • dameDonna September 15, 2008 (12:49 am)

    Edit: Dave, we’re right by you – 34th & Cambridge (block south of Barton).

  • WSB September 15, 2008 (1:32 am)

    Re: the 911 log description – it was garage fire when we left – changed to “fire in single family residence,” since the garage was attached. If there was damage to the house in front of the garage, we couldn’t see it from the street. Video to come.

  • Kevin September 15, 2008 (1:58 am)

    We live about a block away, and the flames were initially very intense. 2AM and they still appear to be on the scene although the flames all appear to be out. I’m sure they will be there for a few hours.
    .
    It was also nice to meet our WSB editor, who I spotted at the scene. I wondered when we would finally get to meet :)

  • J September 15, 2008 (8:54 am)

    We live very close by there and lately, we’ve heard fireworks at night coming from that direction. Hopefully, the fireworks we’ve been hearing are unrelated to this. I guess we’ll know more after they investigate….

  • JEM September 15, 2008 (4:51 pm)

    sometimes I wish I had internet connection at home. it would have been so nice to check WSB last night when I was freaking out about all the sirens in my ‘hood! I eventually did spot the smoke and flashing lights out my bedroom window – no flames visible from 2 blocks over though.

  • EP September 15, 2008 (8:25 pm)

    I live right next door and I am lucky to still have a house. I have got to thank the Seattle Fire Department for their very professional response. They were on the scene fast and kept the houses from becoming part of the blaze with the first responding unit. Two of the surrounding houses suffered some damage but the SFD did a great job keeping the damage in the area to a minimum.

    The neighbors were also great, waking up people and calling 911. It is great to have neighbors who respond to emergencies as you would hope they would. The difference between the 911 response time from when the neighbors called and when I realized there was a fire probably saved my house.

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