Update: Extinguisher blamed for fire report on Delridge

| Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

5:48 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is on the way to the 6900 block of Delridge Way to check out a fire-in-building report. The address on the 911 log checks to the Lam-Bow Apartments just north of the major commercial intersection at Delridge/Orchard/Sylvan. More to come.

5:56 PM: Our crew is just arriving. Via scanner, SFD is reporting it’s a “room fire” on the three-story building’s second floor. Avoid Delridge at Myrtle – it’s blocked southbound and there was talk of closing the other direction too.

6:04 PM: Some of the units are being canceled. The incident commander says an extinguisher discharged and that apparently led to reports of smoke – not an actual fire. They hope to have a lane of traffic open shortly.

6:44 PM: The scene hasn’t completely cleared yet but is getting closer. Southbound Delridge is reported to be reopening. Metro Route 120 has been rerouted until the traffic flow is back to normal.

6:52 PM: Route 120 is back to its regular route.

Mrsjonesb December 16, 2013 (5:54 pm)

Wow, yeah. So far I’ve counted 5 police cars, and 3 fire trucks! Oh wait make that 5 fire, and 8 police cars! I think even more are coming too! I live in North Delridge so am always hearing all the fire trucks leaving from this station! Crazy! Hope everyone is ok!!!

Betsy December 16, 2013 (5:57 pm)

Sounds like every truck in the city racing by. Praying it’s over and everyone’s safe.

Angelique December 16, 2013 (5:58 pm)

I live a block away. There are so many fire trucks. And my husband thinks he smells smoke. Still more coming. I hope everything is ok!!!

WSB December 16, 2013 (6:10 pm)

Good news; apparently this was not a fire but something caused by an extinguisher being discharged. Still not exactly sure how that works but that’s what we heard on the radio and then confirmed in person with the incident commander.

Photon December 16, 2013 (6:33 pm)

6:32 pm, southbound Delridge still closed.

Joel December 16, 2013 (6:37 pm)

This has to be more than just a false alarm. Delridge is still closed, but only southbound. And for no apparent reason, nothing blocking the road.

WSB December 16, 2013 (6:41 pm)

Joel – They had to ventilate the place and do some cleanup among other things.

sophista-tiki December 16, 2013 (6:40 pm)

whew, I just barely made it seconds before they blocked it off. The sucky part about closing the Delridge in that area is there is no way out you’re just trapped there.

N/a December 16, 2013 (6:43 pm)

I hope this whole thing was a joke

sam-c December 16, 2013 (7:08 pm)

is this the blockage on Oregon that is causing the 125 re-route. 6900 seems further south of Oregon?

Roxanne Musterman December 16, 2013 (7:27 pm)

Crazy how they waste so much man power on such a little thing. I lived down the street from this. Total waste of time.

JanS December 16, 2013 (8:04 pm)

no, the one at Oregon and Delridge was a car accident

WSB December 16, 2013 (8:33 pm)

Yeah, there was a crash at Delridge/Oregon and it got lost, for us anyway, amid all the hubbub over the fire call. I was wondering why 125 was routed off 16th/Dawson and finally the lightbulb went off.

miws December 16, 2013 (9:20 pm)

Crazy how they waste so much man power on such a little thing. I lived down the street from this. Total waste of time.

Roxanne, I don’t know how closely, or for how long you have been following WSB, but this has been discussed many times before.

The reason for the large call-out, is Standard Procedure, to make sure enough equipment and staff are rolling, for basically a “worst case” scenario, depending on the reported incident. Once the first unit(s)arrive, they will report back if the incident ends up being relatively minor, and any unneeded units will head back. The SFD Real-Time 911 Log, will continue to show the full call-out of units as active, until the incident is completely handled.

It’s much better to have too many units called out, than not enough, when there’s the potential of severe injury, or loss of life.

Mike

Billy December 16, 2013 (10:00 pm)

Roxanne ! Big responce is to get personel to the scene. Better to not need them than to not have them and need them. Roxanne I hope you never experiance a Fire ! Seattle fire has your back….and their own. Merry Christmas

T Kowalski. December 16, 2013 (11:50 pm)

I have had the big response at my house with a 911 call because I thought my wife’s life in jeopardy. So much better to have them expedient in their jobs, then too little, or not. Our emergency response is a big part of what makes this country great.

Tony G December 17, 2013 (6:06 am)

Does anyone have any more specific on why the extinguisher would discharge by itself? There is a pin in there that prevents that. Maybe a failure of the unit?

Kayo December 17, 2013 (6:30 am)

My neighbor’s kitchen (a few doors down) caught on fire once and because our houses are all so close together in this neighborhood and it was a pretty dry time of year we were extremely thankful that the fire department sent a big response. Flames were shooting out of their window within minutes of us first seeing the smoke and calling 911. If the fire had gone on much longer, I have no doubt neighboring houses would’ve been affected. I am all for the big responses after witnessing that incident. Glad this turned out to be nothing major last night!

Robert December 18, 2013 (9:43 pm)

two minutes can mean a world of change. if you are waiting for help and it shows up late or with the wrong equipment. that is why for the massive response on a fire call.the older buildings in that area burn like gasoline when fires are reported a slow response may be the same as n o response. I would rather put up with a few extra trucks than waiting for the ME to finish a fatality report.

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