Update: Overheated power cord blamed for house fire in 6500 block of Delridge Way; no one hurt; cat rescued

(UPDATED with fire’s cause – scroll down)

(WSB photo: E-29 firefighter Todd Jensen carries cat rescued by E-11 firefighter Annie Olson)
11:23 AM: Big fire response en route to a house in the 6500 block of Delridge Way SW (map). It’s a basement fire, according to an early report from the scene, which also said everybody got out OK. More to come.

11:30 AM UPDATE: Added a Twitter photo (thanks, @cubanrefugee) – our crew is almost there. Police are being asked to block Delridge both ways in the area, which is north of the busy intersection with Orchard/Dumar businesses. LOTS of smoke, which is an extra reason to stay away.

11:40 AM UPDATE: Our crew says wind is blowing the smoke further down Delridge – so you might be noticing it some distance away. SFD has sent more equipment to the scene. We’ve added a quick clip via Instagram – you can see the billowing smoke.

11:52 AM: Our crew on the scene and scanner traffic both indicate firefighters are making progress – they’ve declared the fire “tapped” but that still leaves more work to do; they’ve mentioned smoldering insulation, for example.

Also: At least one pet, a cat, has been rescued.

12:25 PM: SFD PIO Kyle Moore is on scene so we’ll have additional information soon. Also note – Metro Route 120 is rerouted because of the fire-related Delridge closure.

1:07 PM: Moore (briefing video added above) confirmed that no one was hurt; one cat rescued, another bolted, and another is being sought. Four people were working in the back yard when the fire started in the basement – no word on the cause yet. Delridge Way is now open again, and Route 120 is back to normal.

3:22 PM: SFD says an overheated power cord was to blame. Damage totaled $200,000. In addition to the three cats who survived along with the four residents, their half-dozen chickens are OK too.

11 Replies to "Update: Overheated power cord blamed for house fire in 6500 block of Delridge Way; no one hurt; cat rescued"

  • workdowntown July 28, 2014 (11:31 am)

    Lots of smoke can be seen from downtown! Yikes.

  • miws July 28, 2014 (11:54 am)

    Wow, my bus crossed Delridge, eastbound Orchard/Dumar maybe about 20 minutes before WSB’s first report here.

    .

    Heard the sirens after stepping off the bus at around 11:11, at 16th & Henderson, but forgot to check the SFD 911 Log once I got Home, and got back on the internet.

    .

    Mike

  • Melissa July 28, 2014 (11:56 am)

    Can smell the smoke over in Highland Park and helicoptes overhead

    • WSB July 28, 2014 (12:07 pm)

      Helicopter(s) are TV, since it’s noon news time. Sounded like one made a few passes and then headed on to something else in South King County. Also, the impending Blue Angels arrival has choppers up.

  • CubanRefugee July 28, 2014 (12:37 pm)

    While I was there, there was also some semi-truck driver who was impatient trying to get by the fire engines, and he managed to snag a power line and pull it all down right on top of a group of people. Fortunately it appeared to be cable line and not electricity.

  • Marianne July 28, 2014 (1:54 pm)

    Nice firefighters to save the cat!

  • Cowpie July 28, 2014 (2:36 pm)

    Good job saving the cat! That would not have been easy to catch a scared cat.

  • zorazane July 28, 2014 (5:13 pm)

    Glad no humans or critters were hurt!

  • John July 28, 2014 (8:56 pm)

    Thank you to our firefighters for saving the lives of the animals inside!

  • Keith Olson July 29, 2014 (9:51 am)

    Anybody get pictures of that lady firefighter saving the cat?

    For her family…….

    • WSB July 29, 2014 (9:53 am)

      We were the only ones there for this photo (and that’s as close as we can safely get, as journalists), and I don’t think anyone at SFD was shooting – their PIO asked permission to use our shot. – TR

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