West Seattle Blog…

Update: Bicycle rider collides with car door, taken to hospital

(UPDATED 2:51 PM with new information on injuries, circumstances)

12:19 PM: South of Morgan Junction, California SW is partly blocked near SW Myrtle (by Caffe Ladro; map) because of an incident involving a bicyclist. We’re at the scene to find out more.

12:25 PM UPDATE: Police tell us the bicyclist was heading southbound on California – uphill – south of the intersection when he collided with a car door. The rider was going to be transported by private ambulance, but then was moved to a medic unit. We don’t yet know the extent of his injuries.

12:32 PM UPDATE: The scene is clearing, and California SW is fully open again, according to our crew at the scene.

2:51 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB the bike rider is 30 years old and “was traveling approximately 25 miles an hour down the street when a car door opened in front of him causing him to flip over the door. He was not wearing a helmet. He remained conscious and responsive but could not remember the accident. He also had some facial lacerations. Our medics treated him and transported him to Harborview in stable condition.”

Update: ‘Suspicious package’ in Junction turns out to be road flares

(TOPLINE: Short-lived scare in The Junction, all over now)

11:30 AM: A fire call in the 4500 block of 42nd SW has some evacuations under way. We’ll be there shortly.

11:35 AM UPDATE: 42nd is blocked off north of SW Alaska, as you can see in the photo above, sent by Dale (thank you!). Scanner traffic has mentioned a “suspicious package”; we’re checking with authorities on scene. We’ve also just talked with Leon Capelouto, owner of the building, who says he believes the first report came from a manager at Altamira Apartments in the building.

11:40 AM UPDATE: Police confirm it’s a suspicious package – they heard about it around 11 am. The caller reported what looked like “a box of dynamite.” The Arson and Bomb Squad has just arrived, according to SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson.

The evacuations are just as a precaution. Patrol units are there, helping with traffic control. Evacuees are gathered in various spots nearby.

Det. Jamieson says the “package” is apparently inside the building.

11:51 AM UPDATE: All clear, police and fire tell us at the scene – the “suspicious package” turned out to be a box of road flares. The road is reopening and those who were evacuated will be allowed back inside.

Update: Cat rescued from fire at animal advocate’s home

(SCROLL DOWN for updates including fire’s cause and how to help)

(Added: Firefighter Jeff Blevins with rescued cat; photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
10:41 AM: Fire units have responded to a house in the 3800 block of 46th SW – a few blocks west of California/Charlestown. First crews on scene are describing it on the scanner as a “room fire.” We’re on the way.

(Subsequent photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
10:48 AM: No report of injuries so far. Via scanner, crews say they have “knocked down” the fire, but it has “extended” – spread – into a wall, so they’re tackling that. We’ve just added a photo from our first photojournalist at the scene, Christopher Boffoli.

11:05 AM: A cat has been rescued from the house and is reported to be getting medical attention. Firefighters at the scene confirm the fire was largely confined to one room, on the second floor, but there was a lot of smoke in the rest of the house.

11:20 AM: Photo added, firefighter tending to the rescued cat. We have to disclose that we notified the homeowner, local animal advocate Teri Ensley, after recognizing the house, the scene of many fundraising plant sales she has held for Furry Faces Foundation. She is there now.

11:48 AM: We’re told the cat has been taken to a veterinarian. No word on the fire’s cause – the investigation unit, Marshal 5, was sent there, and we’re likely to have information later.

2:11 PM: We just went over to check with Teri. The rescued cat’s name is Jared, by the way. She’s found another cat who’s going to the vet to be checked out. Her house won’t be inhabitable for a while; she’s making arrangements for a place to stay and has found somewhere for the cats. We’re awaiting SFD’s official word on cause; the last fire crew was just leaving as co-publisher Patrick pulled up to follow up.

2:43 PM: The Fire Department’s account of events is up on their website. According to the update, “A Seattle Fire Investigator determined the fire was accidental. A hot plate that was left on ignited combustibles on the kitchen counter. The damage estimate is 60 thousand dollars to the structure and 10 thousand dollars to the contents.” SFD also says one 16-year-old cat didn’t make it. The update also notes that what you saw on Jared in our photo is a “specially designed pet oxygen mask” – here’s another view:

Meantime, commenters have provided info on how to help Teri and the cats; donations are being accepted at Beveridge Place Pub.

ADDED TUESDAY: Here’s a followup story with a list of what’s needed by Teri, the animals, and Furry Faces, for all those who’ve generously offered to help.

2011 in review, installment five: Christopher Boffoli’s photography

For more than four years now, we’ve been glad to be able to work with photojournalist Christopher Boffoli. Though lately his career focus have turned toward the unique “Disparity” imagery that gained worldwide attention this year, he took the time to look back at his WSB work from this year and put together a slideshow of dozens of memorable images. Many were from breaking-news stories, as that’s been his WSB specialty over the years, but that’s not all you’ll see if you click through the photos (or let them play automatically) … watch closely for, for example, the most-talked-about food from last July’s West Seattle Summer Fest. Speaking of food, Christopher’s about to open an exhibition of images from his “Disparity” work, January 10-February 23 at Winston Wächter Fine Art (203 Dexter Ave. N. downtown).

P.S. 2 more year-in-review roundups to come … we’ve archived previous installments (plus this one) here.

Update: High Point shooting ‘accidental,’ police now say

6:40 PM: Police and fire are responding to 32nd and Juneau in High Point, where a female victim – possibly a teenager – has reportedly been shot in the leg, possibly from a passing car, according to initial scanner traffic. More as we get it.

6:52 PM UPDATE: Police on the scene confirm to WSB that the victim is a girl “in her mid-teens” with a leg wound. They are still trying to sort out the circumstances. Meantime, scanner traffic from the medic unit crew describe the victim as 15 years old and quote her as saying “she only heard one shot.”

7:06 PM UPDATE: From the scanner – police are talking with some people and trying to find out if they were involved. Our crew at the scene is close to where this questioning is happening, about a block from the shooting scene. WSB archives show this is the first shooting investigated in West Seattle in 2 months, since the Admiral murder-suicide shootings.

7:53 PM UPDATE: Our crew says police have now handcuffed the male who was being questioned (caveat, that does not ALWAYS mean an official arrest, we will be working to confirm with police). Police also are impounding/towing a car in which a source tells us the victim and possible suspects all may have been (photo to come when our crew is back at HQ). We aren’t likely to get an official update on the victim’s condition, but the medic-unit radio exchange earlier indicated that her vital signs were good.

9:36 PM UPDATE: New information from Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith, who says that two “young males” found near the shooting victim and claiming to be “bystanders” were “investigated further and revealed that it was an accidental discharge inside the car. The bullet was recovered from the floor of the car. Shooter and gun are outstanding. A possible second female victim, who was not located, had reportedly been grazed by the single shot also. It appears a group of young individuals were smoking drugs in the car handling the gun when it was discharged, striking 2 of the females.”

Car bumps building after 35th/Barton hit-run crash

Busy morning for emergency responders. We checked this out right after the Fauntleroy shed fire. From the scene and the scanner, police believe that this car was hit by another vehicle that left the scene, just hard enough to override the parking brake and send it rolling onto the sidewalk and up to the front of this commercial building just south of 35th/Barton (map).

No injuries and no serious damage – the car hit the mailbox post and took out a few bricks on a planter in front of the business’s front window. (Editor’s note: We’ve blurred the plate on the top photo, per WSB policy on faces/addresses/plate #s.)

Update: Extension cord blamed for Fauntleroy shed fire

8:18 AM: More Seattle Fire units are on their way to the 8600 block of Fauntleroy right now. This started as a call about a “shed fire” and moments ago, crews on the scene called for a “full response” because it’s apparently spread to the house, as well as to a neighbor’s shed. We’ll be on scene shortly. The traffic camera above shows the emergency vehicles, just south of the south Lincoln Park parking lot.

8:33 AM UPDATE: On scene – northbound Fauntleroy Way traffic is blocked, as the “live” traffic-cam image above shows, but some southbound traffic (toward the ferry dock) is getting through. Police are there to help direct traffic. We haven’t seen damage to the house in front of the shed (seconds after we added this, the incident commander confirmed this), but the shed itself is significantly burned.

No report of injuries; investigators are on the way to figure out how it started.

8:51 AM: Traffic moving again. We’ve removed the traffic-cam image since the blockage is gone. We’ll update this later when there’s information about how the fire started; for now, we’ve added a photo from the scene (by WSB’s Patrick Sand), as well as a photo (courtesy Amy) showing the smoke, which was widely visible for a while (we even got one sighting report from Vashon, across the Sound).

9:29 AM: Added new photo atop this story – taken by Kristi while the shed was engulfed in flames.

10:59 AM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore has information on the fire’s cause and damage:

The renter of the property was not home when the fire began. A Seattle Fire Investigator determined this was an accidental fire that began from an extension cord that ran from the house to the detached shed. Several extension cords were strung together to power a portable heater inside the shed.

An SFD Investigators estimates $17,000 in total damage. The breakdown of the damage estimate is $8,000 to the shed, $5,000 to the contents of the shed and $4,000 to the exterior of the garage.

West Seattle traffic alert: 35th/Fauntleroy crash

7:55 PM: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli checked out this crash that happened a short time ago at 35th/Fauntleroy. No major injuries, he reports, but it’s blocking part of the road, as you can see, so slow going till it’s cleared.

ADDED 8:14 PM: More info from Christopher, who was on the scene right after it happened: He says the BMW station wagon was just off the bridge and collided with a minivan going the other way; both drivers, who appeared to be alone in the cars, got out of the vehicles right afterward. Bystanders pushed the BMW out of the main traffic lanes but the minivan wasn’t so easily dealt with – since it lost its driver’s-side rear tire.

Update: Three people hurt in 3-car 3rd/Olson crash

(Photo by Deanie Schwarz for WSB)
3:56 PM: Big emergency response to 3rd SW/Olson Place (map) just past the east end of Roxbury – there’s a crash that went out as an “automobile rescue” call. Our crew is there and we’ll have more shortly – for now, though, avoid the area, which is a busy route to and from Highway 509.

4:44 PM: From WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz – Three people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The road is not likely to clear any time soon.

(Photo by Katie Meyer for WSB)
5:19 PM: A total of three vehicles were involved, according to WSB contributor Katie Meyer. She says fire crews had to cut the top off one car to get the patient out safely. Still no word when the road might reopen.

8:38 PM: If you haven’t seen this in comments already – the road has reopened.

10:32 PM: It apparently then closed again – but is now reported as reopened. Meantime, police have published their account to SPD Blotter:

On November 11th at approximately 3:23 p.m. officers responded to the area of Olson Place SW and SW Cambridge Place for a multiple-vehicle head on collision with life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a 51-year-old male was driving westbound in his Nissan Pathfinder. The driver crossed the centerline and struck a 1999 Saturn head on. The driver of the Saturn, a 22-year-old male, was transported to Harborview Medical Center by SFD medics with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Pathfinder then spun around and was struck on the driver’s side by an eastbound, on-coming Toyota Camry. The Camry was being driven by a 63-year-old female, who was subsequently transported to Harborview Medical Center by SFD medics with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Pathfinder was transported to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers evaluated the driver of the Pathfinder for signs of impairment due to alcohol and/or drugs. A blood draw was performed and the laboratory results are pending further investigation.

There were no citations issued at the scene, which is standard procedure in traffic incidents involving serious injuries, and that subsequently require collision reconstruction and extensive follow up investigation.

Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.

The road was closed in both directions and traffic re-routed so detectives could effectively conduct their on-scene investigation.

Update: School bus & car collide; 2 to hospital including baby

ORIGINAL 9:16 AM REPORT: What was a major “heavy rescue” response to 18th/Elmgrove (map) has just been downgraded to a “motor vehicle accident with multiple patients,” per the scanner. We have a crew on the way to the scene.

9:29 AM UPDATE: The patients are described as a 30-year-old man with shoulder pain and a 10-month-old baby who was in the back seat of the car that was involved. Both are being taken to the hospital but neither is described as seriously hurt, per the scanner. Our crew at the scene says a school bus also was involved, with about six kids on board, reported to be from Roxhill Elementary, but none of them are reported hurt, and another bus is arriving to take them to school.

9:56 AM UPDATE: Police tell us they are still sorting out the circumstances of the crash. As the photo above shows, both the school bus and the car involved wound up on the sidewalk/lawn of property at the intersection. SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore has spoken to media at the scene and confirms that the school bus’s seven students and driver were all checked out and are OK:

A tow truck has already arrived.

Update: Woman hit by bus in South Delridge, but not seriously hurt

8:41 PM: Avoid 15th/Delridge/Roxbury for a while – police and fire are responding to the scene of some kind of accident. It was originally reported as “a woman trapped under a bus” but first units on the scene corrected that to say no one is trapped. However, police are closing off the area while they investigate.

9:02 PM UPDATE: WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz is at the scene. She says the woman is believed to have been hit by the bus but is not believed to have major injuries. Her top photo shows investigators looking under the bus after the woman had already been moved for medical attention.

9:17 PM UPDATE: Deanie says the bus has been towed and the roads have reopened. (This was in the intersection by the former Game Stop on the corner with the Roxbury Walgreens.)

Update: Crash on Delridge ramp from West Seattle Bridge

12:47 PM: Drivers headed west on the West Seattle Bridge can’t use the Delridge exit right now – it’s blocked off because of a crash. The call went out as “automobile rescue”; our crew at the scene says it’s on the curve as the ramp comes down to Delridge, lots of fire/rescue crews. No word yet on whether anyone’s been hurt.

12:57 PM UPDATE: One person taken to Harborview Medical Center, according to the incident commander. And the ramp is open again. This appears to have been a one-vehicle crash, but no details on whether it’s blamed on the wet weather or some other factor.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Bank robbery in Morgan Junction

(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
ORIGINAL 2:25 PM REPORT: Police have rushed to the Washington Federal branch at California/Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction after a robbery report. According to what we are hearing on the scanner, the suspects are described as two men, apparently wearing Halloween masks. There are two reports that the getaway car might be black – a witness near the kitty-corner Thriftway saw men carrying at least one pillowcase jump into a car there and take off. Police are on the lookout all over West Seattle and the city, and also reportedly trying to determine if it’s part of a recent series (we haven’t had any here in WS lately).

2:44 PM UPDATE: Added a photo from WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, who’s at the scene, and says Seattle Police have given him a few other details – the robbers were white, male, and wearing hoodies, as well as the aforementioned “Halloween masks.” Police confirm they are looking for a black getaway car. Scanner traffic says the robbers were believed to be armed with a shotgun and a handgun.

3:32 PM UPDATE: No word of any arrests so far. A few more details from Christopher at the scene: “The bank manager confirms the branch is closed for the rest of the day and as patrons have been showing up, they’ve been directed to use other branches. SPD detectives are on scene and are reviewing camera footage. They’re also taking pictures in the alley north of the bank location.” We asked him if they had been told what the robbers’ reported “Halloween masks” looked like. One description so far: Possibly a George W. Bush mask.

Bicyclist hurt after hitting car door that opened in her path

A woman in her 20s was just taken to the hospital by private ambulance after her bicycle collided with a car near Genesee/California at the north end of The Junction. Though it was originally dispatched as a potentially major medical call, Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore says the rider has only minor injuries. WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli found out from police at the scene that the woman was riding southbound on California when a driver parked in front of a building on California opened his car door into her path, and she went over the handlebars.

Update: Fuel-slick cleanup after vessel sinks off Beach Drive

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Salvage and cleanup operations continue as of late Friday afternoon. We will update this story until launching a new one this evening.)

8:37 AM: Here’s what’s going on along the 5400 block of Beach Drive that has brought out the Coast Guard and the Fire Department, among others: There was a report of a boat sinking; by the time authorities arrived, it had sunk. It’s a 35-40-foot boat that’s been working on a private project along the shore.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
No one is believed to have been on board. But they’re trying to evaluate what to do next. We’ve got a crew at the scene.

9:09 AM: Yes, this is what the helicopters were looking at – keep in mind that it happened before the TV morning-news daypart had ended. The boat apparently had been toting rocks related to a bulkhead-building project on shore, in tandem with a floating crane (which was not involved in the sinking). The construction crew involved with the project told WSB that the boat sunk within five minutes of starting to list. Again, no one was on board – but the boat was laden with rocks. And as commenters are pointing out, there is a fuel slick now to deal with. We’ll be tracking that part of it with authorities. Thanks, by the way, to everyone who texted/called/e-mailed/etc. about this.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:40 AM: We’ve just gone back to check on the scene again – there’s now a containment boom out. Beach Drive Blog had covered the construction project to which this is apparently related.

10 AM UPDATE: New information from the U.S. Coast Guard: Salvage divers were summoned to the scene. The vessel that went down is described as 73 feet long. It had 300 gallons of diesel and 30 to 50 gallons of motor oil; the Coast Guard says crews were working to “plug the fuel vents” before it went down. (A neighbor tells WSB that it was listing for quite some time before it went down.) The sheen is described as 150 by 50 feet.

10:21 AM UPDATE: New photo – in addition to the boom, absorbent pads are being put in the water to help clean up the oil. The Department of Ecology is involved in this too, and says “the boat owner did not make proper notifications.” The Coast Guard says that’s Waterfront Construction, which it has labeled the “responsible party.”

12:15 PM UPDATE: Neighbor Lura (thank you!) caught the actual sinking of the vessel before it went under, which Beach Drive Blog says is the Justin, went under – we’ve tried to sharpen it up a bit; look close alongside the barge:

Also for BDB, Rob Porter reports via Twitter that water’s being pumped off the barge.

1 PM UPDATE: The Coast Guard has put together its official summary of what’s happening. New information includes news of a contractor brought in to clean up the spill.

1:23 PM UPDATE: Mike sent photos, saying some of it has washed up south of the sinking:

He’s in the 5900 block of Beach Drive, several blocks south.

4:05 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Colby Chester for a bird’s-eye view of what the slick looked like a few hours ago:

The Coast Guard has published another update, acknowledging that some of the sheen has reached the shore, and saying it appeared to be breaking up. We were down at the scene a little while ago and they were doing flyovers to gauge its size. There’s a 500-yard “safety zone” around the spill and, says the Coast Guard update, “An estimated 1,600 feet of hard boom and 300 feet of soft boom have been deployed to contain and absorb oil from the water.” They expect to continue cleanup till nightfall, and to resume it in the morning as needed; salvage operations for the sunken vessel will continue into the night. The state Ecology Department also has an update, with sheen aerials, here.

4:36 PM UPDATE: We also have heard from a spokesperson for the owners of the vessel, which they describe as 75 feet, and confirm is the Justin:

Waterfront Construction, the owner of the 75’ vessel “Justin” that sank in the Puget Sound early this morning, has contracted with NRC Environmental Services to contain the surface sheen released from the vessel.

NRC Environmental Services has multiple spill response vessels and skimmers on scene and has deployed containment boom. Additional boom is on scene and ready to be deployed as needed. Marine and shoreline emergency response trailers as well as vacuum trucks are standing by for additional support, should they be required. In the first few hours, divers were brought in to plug fuel vents to stop the release of the fuel on board. Salvage experts from Ballard Diving & Salvage have been contracted by Waterfront Construction to perform underwater inspections of the vessel and create a salvage plan to raise the ex-military Landing Craft from the Puget Sound waters as quickly and safely as possible.

“Waterfront Construction appreciates the unified response that has been assisting with this unfortunate event and is doing everything in its power to clean the waters as quickly as possible”, states Keith Landry, Project Manager of Waterfront Construction.

In a followup exchange, the spokesperson told us it’s too soon to tell how soon they will try to bring up the Justin, as they are still working on the plan.

What the police/fire response in Luna Park district is about

Several inquiries have come in about the police/fire response in the Luna Park business district. All we know so far is that an elderly man is reported to have suddenly collapsed, and medic crews have been doing CPR. No crime or crash – police told us they are there just to help make sure firefighters have the space they need to work. As you can see in our photo, southbound (uphill) Avalon is blocked at the scene. If we find out anything more later, we’ll add it.

Update: Seattle Fire crew rescues woman off Beach Drive

(Photo courtesy Beach Drive Blog, used with permission)
10:37 AM: Seattle Fire Department is responding to a “water rescue” call off the 4400 block of Beach Drive, and that’s what the choppers are about. We’re en route.

10:51 AM: Most of the big response you might have seen on the 911 log was canceled before they even arrived, according to SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, because the rescue happened fast. He says Seattle Police reported a woman in her 30s in the water, “maybe hypothermic,” and SFD first responders used a ladder to get her out of the water and safely to shore. She’s been taken to Harborview Medical Center.

1:41 PM: SFD confirms that, as a commenter had noted reading elsewhere, the rescued woman was believed to be suicidal. Moore says, “We transported her to Harborview with a possible overdose and psych evaluation. She was about 15 feet in the water and we lowered a firefighter on a ladder to rescue her.”

(As we always note in stories mentioning suicide, which takes more lives than homicide but is not nearly as reported/discussed, there is help available 24/7 for those who need it – the Crisis Clinic hotline is 206.461.3222.)

West Seattle traffic alert: Crash at 30th/Thistle

5:33 PM: Police/fire/tow crews are blocking eastbound Thistle at 30th, 2-car crash.

5:48 PM: Police actually were blocking eastbound Thistle at 31st, a block west of the scene, till the cars are towed. No serious injuries – one private ambulance responded. One tow truck was already there before we left a few minutes ago.

Update: Van flips near Madison Middle School, no serious injuries

9:43 AM: Startling sight on the sidewalk, just off the southeast corner of the Madison Middle School parking lot – an overturned van. Amy, who sent first word of the crash, says a woman and small child were inside, but both OK, and police at the scene confirmed that no one had to go to the hospital. No word how this happened; it’s the second West Seattle van flip in four days, after this one east of High Point on Saturday (no serious injuries in that one, either). Traffic is not affected, though you might want to avoid 45th/Spokane for a while, since a tow truck will have to get the van uprighted before taking it away.

5:09 PM UPDATE: Official info from police is finally in. Another driver is blamed for causing the rollover by “failing to yield the right of way at the intersection” – and that driver, NOT the driver of the van that rolled, was cited, police tell WSB.

Traffic alert: Crash closes eastbound Sylvan Way

A car has flipped on the greenbelt shoulder of eastbound Sylvan Way just uphill from Home Depot. No serious injuries but eastbound traffic is being turned back several blocks uphill. Westbound is getting through.

West Seattle traffic alert: Crash on SW Alaska

Traffic is slow going on SW Alaska between 35th and 36th SW in The Triangle right now, in front of The Grove/West Seattle Inn, because of a crash involving at least two cars. No major injuries reported – a private ambulance is there to transport one person – but it’s blocking the westbound lanes.

Update: Crash at 36th and Barton, one car flips

9:18 PM: Scanner says a vehicle has overturned at 36th and Barton, and that’s why a big “heavy rescue” response was headed that way. We’re en route.

9:26 PM: Two cars are involved in the crash – one is right-side up, one is upside down. A private ambulance is on scene so it appears at least one person is hurt. Working to see if we can find out who hit who. The “heavy rescue” call was downgraded fairly quickly – no “heavy rescuing” needed after all.

9:50 PM: Police at the scene wouldn’t comment. We do know that indeed, only one person was taken to the hospital. Tow trucks were called for both cars. In comments, a neighbor says the car that flipped hit a parked car.

(P.S. Unrelated but we’ve gotten some texts asking about the westbound West Seattle Bridge – a problem on the high-rise has backed it up; [update] via Facebook, people who drove by say that looked like a rear-end crash with at least two people hurt.)

In case you wondered: Police/fire on Harbor Avenue

Just in case you passed by or were in the area and wondered: The fire/police response that’s wrapping up in the Salty’s vicinity on Harbor Avenue involves a diver who, according to the scanner, felt sick after emerging from the water. No water rescue was needed, but 911 was called, SFD responded, and was taking the diver to the hospital at last report. Police were called to help with traffic in the vicinity of the SFD units.

Update: Fire call in High Point – no fire

(Thanks to Amanda for sharing photo taken by Kelby)
11:20 AM: Big response to Bridge Park in 3200 block of SW Morgan, but scanner indicates it’s an air conditioning problem. On our way to doublecheck.

11:30 AM: All’s well – last fire truck left as we arrived.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Another hit-and-run

(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
A neighbor heard this crash and called 911, not even knowing exactly where it had happened. Soon enough, police found this car up against a garage in the 4800 block of SW Lander (map) in the Admiral District – nobody hurt, unless injuries were suffered by one or both of the two men who reportedly got out of the car after it crashed and ran. WSB contributor Katie Meyer checked out the scene about half an hour ago and says it appears the car, a Toyota Corolla with Alabama plates, ” came up Admiral eastbound, did not make the curve for some reason. Sailed through a sign bolted on the sidewalk, then continued up that side street and rammed into/alongside the garage.”

Katie reports that photo was taken right after a tow-truck operator pulled the trash/recycling container out from under the car. No word of arrests.

Update: Four people hurt in South Admiral crash

(Photo by Katie Meyer for WSB)
8:17 PM: At least four people are going to the hospital from the scene of a “heavy rescue” callout at 44th and Stevens, according to WSB contributor Katie Meyer. She says original scanner traffic suggested this might be a hit-run – with at least two vehicles involved. Katie says it appears that two children and two adults are being transported to the hospital. The scene is just west of PCC (here’s a map). More to come.

8:37 PM: Adding a photo – will have clearer ones shortly. Firefighters at the scene confirm four people were taken to the hospital, all by private ambulance, no life-threatening injuries. (photo added)

(Photo courtesy Juliette)
Trying to find out if the driver who reportedly bolted one of the vehicles has been found; police at the scene aren’t commenting.

Update: Car overturns, 1 hurt in Morgan Junction crash

(First photo added 9:44 am)
9:22 AM: Fire and police are responding to a “heavy rescue” call at 42nd and Morgan. More as we get it.

9:38 AM: The crash is on Morgan east of 42nd – so the Fauntleroy/California intersection area is not affected, but Morgan is blocked off at 42nd (which is just east of West Seattle Thriftway, whose entrances/exits are NOT affected).

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:44 AM: Crews on scene tell us the woman driving the car has gone to Harborview; she was alone in the car. As you can see from photos, it hit poles and has taken down wires – the 41st/42nd/Morgan area is likely to be blocked off for hours to come – City Light is en route to evaluate. We are told the driver’s injuries are NOT life-threatening.

11:13 AM: Tow truck and City Light were on scene when we stopped by a short time ago, so cleanup is under way, but it’s still blocked and the 128 bus is being rerouted – check with Metro for the latest. (Video added above.)