West Seattle Blog…

Update: Terrarium fire in Arbor Heights home, quickly extinguished

July 29, 2012 at 8:49 pm | In Arbor Heights, West Seattle fires, West Seattle news | 21 Comments

8:49 PM: Seattle Fire Department crews are arriving at a home near 39th and 102nd and reporting “light smoke” visible. We’re on the way and will have updates as more information is available. It does not appear to be a major fire, though – all but three crews have been canceled.

8:57 PM UPDATE: Our crew is there and says it was a small fire contained to a terrarium where a turtle lives. The residents are checking on the turtle.

10:52 PM UPDATE: In case you haven’t seen this in the comments already – a neighbor says the turtle is OK, though a bit shell-scorched.

21 Comments

1. Hope they have water. Big response.

   Comment by My — 8:49 pm July 29, 2012 #

2. 2 engines and a Ladder truck… Just went flying up 35th as well as Medic One and a Battalion Chief.. Hope everyone in the house got out safely as well as their animals if any.

   Comment by ~~HockeyWitch~~ — 9:00 pm July 29, 2012 #

3. Poor turtle!! What happens if the turtle needs help? Does he get an ambulance?

   Comment by MB — 9:30 pm July 29, 2012 #

4. I hope the turtle makes it. Seriously.

   Comment by 2 — 9:36 pm July 29, 2012 #

5. Follow-up interview of the turtle?

   Comment by LE — 9:51 pm July 29, 2012 #

6. I really really want to know what happened to the turtle. Can somebody give us un update :(

   Comment by me — 9:59 pm July 29, 2012 #

7. I like turtles.

   Comment by Laurie — 10:03 pm July 29, 2012 #

8. I wish I had a turtle update but I don’t. We have a policy of NOT bothering victims at crash/fire/crime/etc. scenes unless they actively seek the opportunity to say something … so unless (a) the residents turn up in the comment section here (as often happens with incidents we cover) or (b) there is something in the final report on the fire (which I’ll be checking on tomorrow), all we know is what we were able to find out from the incident commander – and they were in the process of rolling up and rolling away … – TR

   Comment by WSB — 10:07 pm July 29, 2012 #

9. I’m one of the neighbors – turtle is alive and at my house for now. Some scorching on the shell… Hopefully she’ll be OK. Will be taking her to the vet where I work in the morning. Super big thanks to SFD for their quick response!

   Comment by gooberdog — 10:30 pm July 29, 2012 #

10. I like turtles!

    Comment by Maura — 12:53 am July 30, 2012 #

11. This is the turtle/home owner. My turtle’s name is Pintle. The ceramic heat lamp above her glass dry-tank fell in while I was away for a couple hours on a bike ride with some friends. My friend and I arrived home. My neighbors told me about what happened while I was away. This same friend’s wife is a veterinarian, so we took Pintle to get seen immediately in north Seattle. The back of her shell is pretty burnt. She isn’t moving her back legs right now. So I’m gonna have her kept in good care over night at the vet, sedated and treated, until we get more professional opinions on whats best for her, and see if she is getting better. It sucks. But she might be okay. We’ll see. I’d like to say thanks to my great neighbors for their fast and caring response to what happened.

    Comment by J — 1:30 am July 30, 2012 #

12. Thanks for the update, J. Thinking good thoughts for Pintle and you – Tracy (WSB editor)

    Comment by WSB — 1:32 am July 30, 2012 #

13. Healing thoughts being sent to Pintle, “J”.

    .

    I’m a huge turtle/tortoise fan, as we had a desert tortoise when I was a kid.

    .

    Also, of course, glad that everything else is safe as well!

    .

    Mike

    Comment by miws — 6:52 am July 30, 2012 #

14. Hope Pintle is OK.

    Comment by LivesInWS — 7:52 am July 30, 2012 #

15. Prayers for Pintle :)

    Comment by 2 — 8:43 am July 30, 2012 #

16. J.,

    Best thoughts to Pintle.

    I know it’s too early to tell, but file this away: if in the long run you’d like to have a pet corn snake or two, and your folks agree, I have two that need a home.

    Comment by Snake owner — 9:38 am July 30, 2012 #

17. Thanks for the kind thoughts. She’s gonna be turtle hospitalized in professional care for a couple days to see if she’ll improve.

    Comment by J — 10:54 am July 30, 2012 #

18. Aww. Thank you for the update, J. Speedy recovery wishes to Pintle!

    Comment by bianca — 11:37 am July 30, 2012 #

19. My daughter put a Get Well Pintle sign up on the corner of 102nd/39th. I hope J was able to see it and knows how much we care about our neighbors and their pets!

    Comment by furiouskitty — 8:42 pm August 1, 2012 #

20. We saw your daughters picture! That was beautiful gesture and warmed our hearts. Please give a hug to her for that:) If it’s still there I’m gonna grab it and put it on my fridge if that’s okay. J

    Comment by J — 3:18 pm August 2, 2012 #

21. Best of luck and healing energy to Pintle!! I am sorry that your family has to suffer an injured little one. The children seem to be rallying around him. How can Pintle not thrive!!!

    Comment by Alyxx — 4:40 pm August 18, 2012 #

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