Update: Fire east of ‘low bridge’ destroys truck, snarls traffic

(Photo courtesy Heath)
12:10 PM: The “car fire” call at East Marginal/South Spokane is a truck fire, according to a caller (thanks!), and causing traffic trouble on the east side of the “low bridge” – so if you’re headed that way, we’d suggest an alternate route for now!

12:14 PM: Adding an image from the eastbound high bridge a few minutes ago – smoke was visible across the top of the screen.

(Photo courtesy Heath)
12:24 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Heath for the fire photos. Harbor Island exit from West Seattle Bridge is going to be shut down because of the fire, per scanner. Fire itself is reported to be “tapped.”

12:51 PM UPDATE: Still snarled at last report.

12:56 PM UPDATE: From SDOT via Twitter, the Harbor Island offramp from the Spokane St. Viaduct (westbound) is reopened, but southbound E. Marginal and eastbound Spokane St. are still blocked.

1:26 PM UPDATE: Traffic is moving again, says commenter NorDel; police are still awaiting the tow truck.

4:38 PM UPDATE: There’s a new, not-related-so-far-as-we-know crash in the same area; meantime, we passed by around 3 and though we weren’t in a position to get a photo, we saw the burned truck on a flatbed, apparently getting ready to be hauled away. And now we have followup information courtesy of SFD’s Kyle Moore:

At noon, Engine 13, and Engine 36 were dispatched to reports of a truck fire on the lower level bridge at East Marginal Way South and South Spokane Street. When Engine Company 13 arrived they found a cargo truck fire with an exposure to an empty gasoline tanker truck.

Firefighters laid a hose line and pumped foam on the fire putting it out. Firefighters evaluated the driver of the cab for his complaints of minor smoke inhalation. The driver declined transport to the hospital.

The cause of the fire is considered mechanical or electrical deficiency due to the driver complaining of smoke coming from the engine and then his cab filling with smoke while he was operating the cargo freight truck.

The cab was a total loss but the damage is still being estimated.

I was told he was hauling frozen fish.

17 Replies to "Update: Fire east of 'low bridge' destroys truck, snarls traffic"

  • Hat Momma August 14, 2012 (12:15 pm)

    It was I that called and apologize if I said ‘car fire’ -it was actually a semi. Whole cab was engulfed. No one hurt it appears. I was two cars behind it and was able to go around as fire/police had not yet arrived at the time.

    • WSB August 14, 2012 (12:28 pm)

      Thanks, Hat Momma – we have since received a photo of the burning cab you describe, and added to story. No official word on injuries yet, hope everybody got out OK, some scanner talk of smoke inhalation but not sure yet – TR

  • sw August 14, 2012 (12:20 pm)

    Black smoke changed to white smoke, and now has changed to no smoke – which leads one to assume the fire is out. Bet there is a whale of a backup both directions the rest of the day, though.

  • Bobby August 14, 2012 (12:26 pm)

    Drove through it on upper bridge about 15 mins ago. Huge black plumes rolling right across the roadway.

  • Tracey August 14, 2012 (12:57 pm)

    There was back up even before that. I was trying to cross the bridge about 11:15 am and had to exit on to the viaduct.

  • NorDel August 14, 2012 (1:03 pm)

    We’re moving now.

    • WSB August 14, 2012 (1:23 pm)

      Thanks, NorDel. Sounds like they’re hoping to tow the burned wreck around 2 pm.

  • smokeycretin9 August 14, 2012 (2:56 pm)

    Well that explains the smoke and burning smell all the way down to 2nd and Lucile when I came back from lunch.

  • Lauren August 14, 2012 (3:18 pm)

    Something is still backing it up now. I have been sitting westbound for 30 mins now….same issue ???

  • NemoBeanBean August 14, 2012 (3:44 pm)

    Thank goodness the driver is OK

  • miws August 14, 2012 (4:24 pm)

    Well that explains the smoke and burning smell…..

    .

    smokeycretin, you didn’t do a self-sniff test? ;-)

    .

    Mike

  • West Seattleite August 14, 2012 (6:54 pm)

    Bummer. Looks like it was a nice rig.

  • LB August 14, 2012 (6:56 pm)

    The truck was still there when I went by around 5:00 this evening.

  • evergreen August 15, 2012 (12:27 am)

    Glad the driver is OK!

  • Yohannes August 15, 2012 (6:48 pm)

    Thank god the driver is ok god is good

  • Amy Thomson August 15, 2012 (7:03 pm)

    As of ten minutes ago the snarl was really bad. Traffic was backed up past theChelan Cafe.

  • KD August 15, 2012 (9:38 pm)

    Frozen fish ain’t frozen anymore.. bbq fish!

Sorry, comment time is over.