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UPDATE: Bicycle rider killed in collision with driver on Marine View Drive

6:31 PM: A man riding a bicycle is seriously hurt after a driver hit him near Marine View Drive and 46th SW just after 6 pm, according to what firefighters are telling doctors at Harborview via radio. The man is described as about 40 years old and will be taken to the hospital.

6:34 PM: Police are on scene and investigating; they told dispatch that the rider’s injuries are life-threatening. We don’t know the driver’s status; we’re going to the scene to try to find out.

7:32 PM: The scene had cleared by the time we got there. We have an inquiry out with SFD regarding the victim but might not be able to learn more about the investigation before tomorrow morning.

7:50 PM: SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty tells WSB the victim is actually in his mid-60s and was assessed as being in critical condition when transported.

ADDED FRIDAY, 3:41 PM: We finally have confirmation of what a commenter posted last night – that the rider did not survive. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office daily list of death investigations identifies him as 66-year-old Steven Hulsman.

UPDATE: Hazmat response at Terminal 5

December 17, 2023 10:11 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Hazmat response at Terminal 5
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

10:11 PM: If you’ve noticed the lights and sirens at Terminal 5, Seattle Fire has sent a hazmat response to a reported spill. It was initially described as either salt or a salt-like material, in powder form; they’re still assessing the situation. They’re telling dispatch that it’s happening aboard the ship currently at T-5, which MarineTraffic.com shows is container ship MSC Dakar X.

10:27 PM: Some of the substance was described as having been spilled on the dock too. But no injuries have been reported, and SFD is dismissing most of the responders.

UPDATE: Hazmat response at Arrowhead Gardens

12:38 PM: SFD has a hazmat response at the Arrowhead Gardens senior-living complex in southeast West Seattle right now. According to the dispatch, they’re checking out “white powder” found in a hallway, possibly related to a dispute between neighbors; police have responded too. No reports of injuries.

1:32 PM: All but two SFD units have been dismissed.

1:52 PM: SFD says that “the substance was determined (to be) not hazardous” and everyone’s been cleared.

About the sizable Seattle Fire response at Roxhill Park

Overdose responses are sadly not rare. Those with multiple patients are. That’s what brought the sizable Seattle Fire response to Roxhill Park this past half-hour. According to SFD radio communication, a woman and man, both 33 years old, were found “unconscious and unresponsive” after “suspected opiate overdoses.” They were able to revive her, and thought that – after many efforts including 10+ rounds of CPR – they had revived him, but he’s just been declared dead. The woman, meantime, will be taken to a hospital.

UPDATE: Crash at 35th/Fauntleroy end of bridge

(Screengrab from SDOT camera)

12:01 PM: Thanks for the tips. The westbound Fauntleroy Way end of the West Seattle Bridge is blocked right now for an emergency response because of a crash.

12:09 PM: The outside westbound lane is open again; the other westbound. lanes remain blocked while officers await both tow and cleanup crews.

(WSB photo)

12:21 PM: Since we missed the initial dispatch on this while away from the desk, we just went to the scene to ask about the circumstances. We’re told the driver who caused the crash was having a medical emergency and is being taken to a hospital.

12:27 PM: A tow truck has just removed that car (the white one).

12:41 PM: The scene is clear. We’re following up with SFD on the transported driver’s condition.

1:53 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says they treated a 45-year-old woman at the scene – she did not require hospitalization – along with the 35-year-old man who was taken to Harborview. We just got a call from someone who said he’s the latter driver, explaining he suffered a seizure but will be OK.

UPDATE: Deadly head-on crash on Admiral Way; survivor identified as local chef

11:36 PM: Police and fire are arriving on the Admiral Way hill north of the bridge for a reported two-car head-on collision. One person is reported trapped in one of the cars. Avoid the area. The Admiral exit from the westbound bridge is being blocked off in addition to traffic on the hill, both ways.

11:44 PM: The trapped person has been extricated, firefighters told dispatch.

(Reader photo)

12:12 AM: Police have just described the crash as fatal. (The person who was extricated had been originally described as a woman, unresponsive.) The investigation will likely mean the street will remain closed for a few hours.

1:07 AM: No visual because the scene is inaccessible with the hill blocked off, but the two vehicles were described by police as a silver Camaro – the victim was reported to be in that car – and a blue Toyota 4Runner. No further details from police so far on how many people were in the vehicles; we’re asking SFD whether anyone who survived the crash was treated for injuries.

1:45 AM: Police have just told dispatch that Admiral is reopening, both ways.

7:51 AM SFD says a 34-year-old man was taken to the hospital, in stable condition.

(Added: Photo posted by Jesse in comments)

8:05 AM: Here’s what SPD just posted:

Witnesses called 911 for a head on collision involving two vehicles late Saturday evening.

Police arrived around 11:30 p.m. near the intersection of Southwest Admiral Way and Southwest City View Street and found the two vehicles in the southbound lanes.

The female driver of the silver Camaro was reported to be driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Southwest Admiral Street when she lost control. The Camaro travelled into the opposite lanes of traffic colliding head on with a blue Toyota 4Runner traveling southbound.

Seattle Fire responded and assisted in removing the 23-year-old female driver from her vehicle. SFD provided life-saving measures, but the female driver succumbed to her injuries sustained from the collision at the scene.

The 34-year-old male driver of the 4Runner sustained non-life-threatening injuries. SFD transported him to Harborview Medical Center for further medical treatment.

TCIS will be lead in the investigation of this case.

12:45 PM: We don’t know the name of the woman who died, but we’ve just received word that the man who survived is a local chef and that friends are crowdfunding for his recovery, which is expected to last months. Candice sent us this note:

The victim of the car crash on Admiral last night was Nick Chiaro, a chef at Driftwood restaurant on Alki. As his friend & coworker, my fiance has set up a GoFundMe for his recovery.

Here’s the link.

UPDATE: Gas-leak response after hit-run driver crashes into house

9:18 PM: Avoid the area of 37th/100th in Arbor Heights for a while – a driver hit a house and a natural-gas leak is reported to have resulted. Police have blocked off 37th. They are telling dispatch it’s a hit-and-run – the driver subsequently took off. So far the vehicle is described only as “a white minivan.”

9:21 PM: The gas leak is blamed on damage to the gas meter. Puget Sound Energy is reported to be on the way. No injuries reported so far.

9:27 PM: This wasn’t found to be a major leak, so the SFD response has downsized.

9:34 PM: Police have just told dispatch that the gas is shut off, so the streets are reopening. No further info on the hit-run driver.

12:23 AM: Jeremy, whose home and yard were damaged, sent photos: “What a mess. The driver went through a tree, a fence, two planters, lawn furniture and breaking the gas meter off the main before actually hitting the wall of the house.”

UPDATE: Emergency response off Lincoln Park/Lowman Beach

4:03 PM: SFD, SPD, and the U.S. Coast Guard are all reported to be on the way to check into reports of a windsurfer in trouble 50 to 100 yards off Lowman Beach/north Lincoln Park. The windsurfer is reported to have been having trouble getting back up on their board.

4:11 PM: Police have been scanning the water from land and told dispatch they see windsurfers – including one with a blue-green sail as the 911 caller described – but none appear to be in distress. A USCG boat has arrived in the area and will check further.

4:18 PM: The SPD and SFD units on land are ending their response, concluding that there’s no sign of trouble, while the USCG unit verifies with the windsurfer if they indeed are not in need of assistance.

Before Thanksgiving, you’re invited to Friendsgiving with Mode Music & Performing Arts!

Thanksgiving is one month away. The week before, you can make sure more kids have access to arts education by showing up for Friendsgiving, a party benefiting Mode Music & Performing Arts. This invitation explains what it’s all about:

Join us for a Friendsgiving Fundraiser on November 17th with live music, delicious dinner, local libations, and a heartwarming live auction to support Mode Music & Performing Arts‘ accessible arts programs!

Friendsgiving will be hosted on Friday, November 17th, 2023, 5:30 pm – 10 pm, at SoDo Park, located at 3200 1st Ave S. Our evening, emceed by KEXP DJ Troy Nelson, will be filled with Herban Feast catering, local drinks, student and teacher performances, plus a live musical performance by Tio Nacho’s House.

Mode Music & Performing Arts (MMPA) was founded by Erin Rubin in 2017 to provide accessible arts education programs for students in the greater Seattle area, from West Seattle and beyond. MMPA’s programming includes after-school arts enrichment, in-school arts programs, pay-what-you-can group classes and camps, and private-lesson scholarships for music instruction.

“I’ve always known there was a need for accessible arts education in our area as I saw the inequity in private one-on-one music lessons over the years as a music instructor. My goal in starting MMPA was to meet the students and families where they are, whether that be financially with scholarships and pay-what-you-can classes and camps, or meeting them directly after school to bridge transportation limitations,” Erin says. “Our team works hard to provide quality education taught by local, professional artists with little to no barriers. We are so happy to have the support of the community in our outreach so far.”

Want to make an immediate impact? We are actively recruiting both event sponsors and donors for auction items. Sponsor and donor information as well as tickets can be found at www.modemusicandperformingarts.org.

Mode Music and Performing Arts is a nonprofit arts organization offering innovative arts education programs promoting confidence, social awareness, equity, and empathy in our students and community.

UPDATE: Short-lived ‘rescue extrication’ response on westbound West Seattle Bridge

11:02 AM: Seattle Fire is sending a “rescue extrication” response to what dispatch describes as a “single-vehicle rollover” crash near the west end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge. First on scene says it’s “off the road on the right side.”

11:07 AM: Another arriving unit described the vehicle as “on all 4 wheels” and reported the person inside had gotten out OK, so the “rescue extrication” response is being canceled.

UPDATE: Bicycle rider dies after falling in 1200 block Alki Avenue

6:04 PM: SFD medics and SPD officers are in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue SW, where witnesses told them a bicycle rider fell “out of the blue” while riding on the trail. The rider, described as a male adult, is reported to have hit his head and suffered potential life-threatening injuries, for which he’s being treated right now. Avoid the area.

6:24 PM: Medical discussion over emergency radio indicates the rider, described as in his mid-40s, is still in bad shape and the reason he suddenly fell is a mystery. Medics are still working to revive him.

7:51 PM: As noted in comments, radio exchanges indicate the rider did not survive. We don’t have any other information about circumstances and it would be up to the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine whether a medical incident preceding the fall was to blame, or an injury from it.

8:42 PM: SFD has also officially confirmed to us that the rider died, and updates his age to “approximately 40.”

UPDATE: Stolen Kia in SW Thistle car-on-side crash

(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)

12:31 AM: Police are investigating a crash in the 3700 block of SW Thistle after 911 callers reported that car went on its side and people were seen fleeing from it. Police tell us it’s a stolen Kia Sorento that was headed westbound when the driver hit a parked car and the car went sideways.

ADDED 12:36 AM: Here’s the parked car:

ADDED 12:56 AM: Thanks to Justin for sending the wide view:

UPDATE: Man shot, killed on bus at 15th/Roxbury

5:16 PM: Police and fire are at the scene of a shooting reported aboard a Metro bus that’s at 15th and Roxbury. The victim is reported to be a man about 30 years old “unconscious, unresponsive, with two gunshot wounds.” Police have broadcast an initial description of two suspects, both male, one Hispanic, with long hair, in a gray sweater, the other Black or Hispanic, “puffy” hair, white sweatshirt, both running northeast. The scene is described as on 15th just south of Roxbury. Traffic is being blocked on southbound 15th.

(Added: WSB photos)

5:22 PM: Dispatch has been told the victim is dead. The bus has been described as being stopped on the King County Sheriff’s Office side of Roxbury, but SPD responded initially.

5:39 PM: Investigators now say there was only one shooter. KCSO is searching with a K-9 team. If you’re seeing a helicopter, that’s the shared TV chopper, NOT law enforcement.

5:59 PM: Now Guardian One is over the scene too.

7:32 PM: No new information aside from KCSO confirming the victim’s death. Commenters who were on other buses at the time say their drivers were told the victim was NOT the driver. (The bus was H Line.)

10:12 PM: KCSO has since issued an official news release, though they still aren’t saying anything we haven’t already reported. For the record, here is the news release in its entirety:

This evening (October 3rd) at approximately 5:10 pm, deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Office responded to the vicinity of SW Roxbury ST and 15th Ave SW for reports of a shooting that occurred on a Metro bus. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a single victim, who was unfortunately pronounced deceased at the scene.

Multiple specialized units, including Guardian 1 aerial support and a K9 Unit, responded to conduct a thorough search for the individuals involved. As of this moment, the search operation has concluded, and the suspect(s) in question remain at large.

The King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit will be investigating.

11:20 PM: 15th has reopened, per a Metro advisory.

ADDED OCTOBER 10TH: The victim was identified today by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as Marcell D. Wagner, 21. Cause of death “multiple gunshot wounds.”

UPDATE: Flipped-car crash on Admiral Way hill

2:26 PM: SPD and SFD are responding to a reported “rollover” blocking one southbound lane of the Admiral Way hill (north of the West Seattle Bridge). The driver is reported to have gotten out of the car so it’s just a one-engine response.

2:48 PM: Photo added. We just drove by the scene, which is not in a safe spot to pull over and ask questions. Only the outside downhill lane is blocked.

3:10 PM: They’re still waiting for the tow truck. Once it arrives, clearing the scene may temporarily block more than just the outside lane.

4:07 PM: SFD tells us that the “approximately 24-year-old male driver was evaluated and treated at the scene and did not want to go to the hospital for further care.”

UPDATE: ‘Major natural-gas leak’ response at paving-project site on SW Genesee

1:12 PM: This morning we mentioned paving work on SW Genesee between 26th and 30th SW. Now there’s a gas leak in the area and the street will be closed until it’s handled – SFD and SPD are headed that way.

1:15 PM: Firefighters have told dispatch it’s a “4-inch main behind a piece of heavy equipment.” They’re having residents in the immediate vicinity “shelter in place” with windows closed. They say the wind “appears to be blowing away” from the residences and are awaiting Puget Sound Energy (which provides gas service in our area).

2:10 PM: SFD reports that PSE has a “temporary shutdown” on the line but is still working to secure it further.

2:18 PM: SFD is affirming that the nearby residents are now safe and they’re reducing their response.

2:38 PM: All SFD units have now cleared. We haven’t heard whether traffic is resuming through the area, though – even before this, it was down to single-lane-with-flagger because of the paving work.

READER REPORT: Harbor Avenue condo garage flooding

Thanks to the texter who sent that photo from the garage at the condo building Point Nautica. The texter says the flooding is due to a water break. Seattle Fire has been there (1005 Harbor SW) on a call categorized as a “major water job” for more than an hour.

UPDATE: Water-rescue response for sailboat trouble off Constellation Park

August 9, 2023 6:06 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Water-rescue response for sailboat trouble off Constellation Park
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

6:06 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “water-rescue response” to the 3500 block of Beach Drive SW for what’s reported as possible sailboat trouble – a person reportedly outside their 12-to-14-foot sailboat trying to get back into it a few hundred yards offshore. SFD and SPD are responding by land and sea.

(Added: WSB photo)

6:10 PM: Some land responders are heading to the Fauntleroy ferry dock in case someone is rescued and needs to be brought to shore.

6:13 PM: Rescuers say they are seeing a person clinging to the side of a sailboat about 500 yards offshore – the boat is upright but the person’s still not in it.

6:16 PM: SFD has rescued the person from the water, and they’re arranging for a separate crew to deal with the boat.

About the ‘rope rescue’ response on 42nd SW

Thanks for the texts about the sizable SFD response in the 5600 block of 42nd SW (we were in an unrelated interview at the time). We’ve just gotten to the scene, where we’re told that someone was doing tree work in a yard when he suffered a “medical episode” requiring SFD to safely bring him down. He was taken to a hospital.

UPDATE: Sailboat possibly in trouble north of The Arroyos

8:22 PM: A sizable Seattle Fire response is headed by land and sea to a report of a sailboat possibly in trouble off the 10400 block of Maplewood Place SW [map], north of The Arroyos. Updates to come.

8:33 PM: Responders are looking for the sailboat, described as under 20 feet, blue hull, one person on board.

8:40 PM: They’re not finding any signs of someone in trouble, so they’re ending the search.

UPDATE: 2 drivers to hospital after collision on Alki Avenue pushes one car into the water

(Reader photo)

5:50 PM: Another emergency response – this time in the 1300 block of Alki Avenue [vicinity map] – a two-car collision reportedly has one vehicle in the water, one up on the sidewalk. Updates to come.

(Added: Reader photo sent by Reiner)

5:57 PM: One person from the car that went into the water is reported to be undergoing CPR. One other injured person from the crash is reported to have a broken leg. Please avoid the area – emergency responders are trying their best to block off the road while also focusing on the injured people.

(Reader photo sent by Reiner)

6:04 PM: One trapped person has been extricated from the car that crashed on land. SFD says that person will be taken to a hospital. Divers are checking the car in the water to see if anyone remains inside:

(Reader photo sent by Reiner)

6:08 PM: So far there are two patients – one from the car on land, one from the submerged car.

(Reader photo sent by Reiner)

6:17 PM: SFD crews have just told dispatch no one remains inside the submerged car, but divers still have to check around it. History as discussed in comments: A driver went into the water in May 2009 (WSB coverage here) and survived; three years before that, a driver went into the water in the 1200 block of Alki and two men died (September 2006). … Back to the current situation: Crews in the water say they haven’t found anyone else in the water, so all divers and rescue swimmers are out of the water. SFD is sending a public-information officer to the scene.

(WSB photo)

6:35 PM: Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives are being called out, according to emergency-radio communication, so the scene may be blocked for a while, no official estimate yet. Above is our photo of police and fire boats near the submerged car. There is also some radio communication about utility damage.

6:57 PM: SFD says the person in the submerged car was pulled out by bystanders and was in critical condition when taken to the hospital. … Below, another view of the car that crashed on land, roof removed because that’s what SFD had to do to get the driver – who is in stable condition – out:

(Reader photo sent by Steve)

As for the car in the water, it’s high tide as of moments ago, and the next low tide is only a few feet lower – the next minus tide isn’t till tomorrow morning.

7:42 PM: SPD spokesperson Det. Judinna Gulpan just spoke with us and other media at the scene. Few additional details – the driver rescued from the water is female, the one cut out of a car on land is male. The process of retrieving the car from the water won’t even start until the TCIS detectives complete their work at the scene.

8:14 PM: Just watched our video of Det. Gulpan’s briefing. She also said that, as a commenter below had reported, they believe the male driver hit the female driver, head-on, at high speed, and the impact pushed her car into the water. She would not confirm whether the male driver is under investigation for possible DUI. (Update: Here’s our video:)

8:37 PM: A texter says they just pulled the car out. Here’s the photo they sent:

9:34 PM: Police are reopening Alki Avenue both ways.

9:58 PM: Harborview says the driver rescued from the water remains listed in critical condition.

MONDAY NOTE: We are following up on various aspects of and questions raised by this incident and hope to have a separate followup this evening. In the meantime, for the record (per SFD), the woman rescued from the water is 24, the driver who hit her car is 23. We don’t have his name (yet) so we are currently unable to verify his status.

MONDAY NIGHT: Our followup has to wait until tomorrow as we have a variety of questions still awaiting answers. Meantime, a friend of the rescued woman has let us know in comments and via email that crowdfunding is now set up for her and her family.

UPDATE: Water-rescue response off 4000 block of Beach Drive, quickly downsized

July 16, 2023 5:12 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Water-rescue response off 4000 block of Beach Drive, quickly downsized
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

5:12 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response to the 4000 block of Beach Drive. We’re detouring that way, having just left Summer Fest, to find out what’s happening.

5:14 PM: Whoever was reported as being in trouble “is declining all assistance,” so all but one responding unit is being canceled.

5:17 PM: That last unit, Engine 29, reports that the paddler is “on their way in and is A-OK,” so they’re completely closing out the response.

UPDATE: Water-rescue response in The Arroyos

3:24 PM: Seattle Fire has sent a water-rescue response to the 11400 block of Arroyo Beach Place for a report of a capsized boat.

3:27 PM: SFD says no one was in distress after all, so they’re reducing the response.

About the SFD response in Morgan Junction

Heard a lot of sirens in the past 15 minutes or so? So did we. It was a four-unit SFD response to Cal-Mor Circle (the cylindrical apartment building at 6420 California SW) after someone reported an “explosion” and seeing “a window blown out.” So far, crews are telling dispatch that it appears to have been “somebody setting off fireworks on the roof.”