Update: Auto-shop fire blamed on electrical problem

ORIGINAL 8:17 PM REPORT: A big response is en route to 17th and Delridge, about a block north of Roxbury, for a “fire in building” call. Police are being summoned to help with traffic control. More as soon as we get there.

8:21 PM UPDATE: SFD has revised the location to 16th and Cambridge (here’s a map). Our crew has just arrived and we’ll have a photo shortly (added above).

8:24 PM UPDATE: The building is a single-story auto shop, according to scanner traffic. Crews have water on the fire and are also ventilating the building from the roof.

Our crew on the scene confirms all of the above. No word yet if anyone was there or has been hurt.

8:38 PM UPDATE: Firefighters have declared the fire “tapped.” Our crew at the scene says there’s no indication of injuries.

9:04 PM UPDATE: 16th SW is reopening and some of the fire units have been dismissed. In comments here and on the WSB Facebook page, Gary, who manages and lives in a building across the street, says first responders did “an awesome job protecting the two apartment buildings on either side of the structure on fire.”

9:37 PM UPDATE: No word on the cause yet. Firefighters were still working on hot spots. A fire-damaged car was clearly visible inside the body-shop building (photo above, one of several we are adding now that our crew is back).

MONDAY MORNING NOTE: Investigators determined over the weekend that an electrical problem started the fire – they say “a short in a 220-volt socket ignited”; damage is estimated at $30,000.

Delridge Resident May 11, 2012 (8:21 pm)

I was ashamed to be a driver on Delridge just now. No one was pulling over for these emergency vehicles and most ended up driving down the turn lane in the middle to get by.

Lisa Y. May 11, 2012 (8:22 pm)

WSB your good, I was just going to write you to ask about all the sirens we are hearing in Arbor Heights.

Andi May 11, 2012 (8:26 pm)

Just checked real time 911 after hearing all the sirens all the way up here by 35th and Roxbur. Will stay tuned here for news!

AJP May 11, 2012 (8:27 pm)

Wow, you guys are quick! Heard tons of sirens, check the blog, and there’s all the info in just a couple of minutes. Hope the damage isn’t too bad, whenever I walk past the shop the people are nice.

westseattledood May 11, 2012 (8:29 pm)

Oh no. I think they keep a dog on site outside there for security or whatever…not 100% certain though about weekends. :(

gary May 11, 2012 (9:01 pm)

I manage and live in the apartment building right across the street (south) on 16th and Cambridge St. WOW! Thanks to all the first responders. You guys (and gals) are amazing! ;O)

HockeyWitch May 11, 2012 (9:05 pm)

@Delridge Resident, I’m with you on that.. only up here on 35th Ave SW. There were 2 Engines and the ladder truck coming up the street… everyone, including the 21 bus that just kept driving til it got to the stop in front of my apt bldg, not pulling over, even though they all had lights on, sirens screaming and the horn BLARING… Sirens and Lights… PULL TO THE RIGHT!!! Get the H*LL out of their way.

Delridge Resident May 11, 2012 (9:29 pm)

Occasionally in Colorado they used to drive emergency vehicles down the street with police following and handing out tickets to those who didn’t pull to the right, maybe they should try that here.

mehud May 11, 2012 (10:03 pm)

Westseattledood-yep, dog chained 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

rachel May 11, 2012 (10:06 pm)

I stopped and told the police officer on the scene about the dog. The dog was there,in her dog house.
I hopethey got her out, though the fire was in the garage behind her house.

WSB May 11, 2012 (10:11 pm)

On our FB page, the dog was discussed. Different property, not hurt, apparently.

neighbor May 11, 2012 (10:26 pm)

The dog isn’t chained at night. It has freedom to run the property and keep thieves out. What good would the dog do chained at night?

Owner of Xecutive Auto Detail May 11, 2012 (11:19 pm)

Im the owner of one of the spots back there, A welder was left on, and somehow a the power cord grouded out, and caught the roof on fire. The roof is damaged, but nobody was there. Xena our sweet little guard dog was safe. Everyones safe and that is what is truly important.
Everyone have a good night.

neighbor May 12, 2012 (6:57 am)

Thank you for the update.

rachel May 12, 2012 (10:24 am)

Just to be clear, the dog (Xena) was NOT chained up. She was roaming in and out of her dog house. She looked very well cared for.

Fireman May 12, 2012 (2:50 pm)

The cops and firemen (and women!) did a great job base on what I saw.

I think they deserve the credit that comes with telling people what they do: police officers, firemen, EMT’s. First responder is a trumped up political term. When handing out news, alcolades, or (rarely) criticism of their performance we should call these men and women by the correct title and respect their chosen trade.

WSB May 12, 2012 (2:55 pm)

Hi. Thank you for the work you do. I don’t know whether you are addressing me (editor/reporter) or the commenter, but in any case, we write about emergency responses almost daily, sometimes multiple times a day, and seldom use that phrase. However, I quoted the commenter, and since he (?) chose to use that term, I couldn’t presume to know exactly who he was speaking of, so I summarized it using that term. Had not previously heard, however, that “first responder” was not considered a positive term. Will make note of it.- TR

scubafrog May 13, 2012 (1:28 pm)

Darn, looks like a 1964 Impala inside that got burned – On a brighter note it sounds like noone was hurt, and that’s the important thing!

WSB May 13, 2012 (1:39 pm)

That’s what my husband, who covered the fire at the scene, thought … just saw a beautiful non-burned example of that type of car in the Metropolitan Market parking lot the next day (Saturday) and he brought it up. We will be checking with SFD tomorrow re: the cause, they don’t always provide media updates on weekends unless it’s a really big fire … TR

Sorry, comment time is over.