West Seattle, Washington

15 Monday

74℉

day : 11/06/2012 10 results

Update: Bonfire ‘explosion’ at Alki sends 5 to hospital with burns
June 11, 2012 9:12 pm
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(TOPLINE: 5 teenagers, reported at the scene to be celebrating the end of the school year at an Auburn high school, went to the hospital after someone added some kind of “accelerant” to a fire in an Alki Beach fire pit, resulting in what witnesses described as an “explosion.”)

(1st 2 photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:12 PM: We’re arriving at Alki where multiple emergency crews are tending to what we are told may be a case of someone with burn injuries … more momentarily. It’s happening at 59th and Alki SW – police are handling traffic control in the area – steer clear of there TFN. One witness describes what happened as a “fire pit explosion” and we are told more than one person has been transported to the hospital.

9:19 PM: Nearby resident Ben Hutchinson reports what he saw, and shares two photos:

About 20 minutes ago (20 minutes before the time of me sending this email), I was sitting in my room using my computer, when I heard a loud explosion. It sounded like maybe an illegal large/homemade firework exploding. I went outside to see what was going on. From the balcony of my apartment, I saw some burning material outside the fire ring just to the left of the fire ring. It appeared to be in the middle of the pile of belongings that the group of people had who were at the fire ring. Also to the right of the fire ring, I saw some burning material about 20 feet away. They people were throwing sand on, and stomping on the fire to put it out. I quickly pulled out my cellphone and to a picture on the phone’s camera, but they’d put out the fire by the time I pulled it out.

Other witnesses tell us at least two people were transported. We’ll be adding Ben’s photos shortly.

9:24 PM UPDATE: Christopher Boffoli was the first photojournalist there for WSB and tells us that fire crews told him five people have been taken to Harborview Medical Center with burns. He was also told that this was an end-of-year gathering involving students from Auburn; someone threw gasoline on a bonfire, and that’s what led to what multiple witnesses describe to us as an “explosion.”

10 PM UPDATE: Still awaiting info from formal briefing by Seattle Fire. Some online discussion cites witnesses as saying it was a “gas can,” not fluid itself – we’ll find out soon what SFD has determined.

10:21 PM UPDATE: Briefing by SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore is over. He says the five victims are all “high-school age” – two males taken by SFD medic unit have serious burns, two other male victims and one female with less-serious burns were transported to hospital(s) by private ambulances. Investigators are still trying to officially determine exactly what the “accelerant” and reported container were; the fire marshal is en route to the hospital to interview the victims who are OK enough to talk with him. We have the full briefing on video and will upload it to add here when our crew is back.

11:28 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire has posted its account – only new information includes the degree of burns, 2nd and 3rd degree for the boys described as seriously burned. (Above this line, we’ve added the unedited video of the SFD briefing.)

TUESDAY MORNING: Police have also posted their online account; its only new detail is affirmation that their Arson/Bomb Squad is handling the followup investigation.

Share This

The WSBeat: Fighting back; stolen saw; ‘why do you have a GPS?’
June 11, 2012 8:30 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | WSBeat

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:

*A recent Monday, around 8 p.m., a citizen yelled at some suspicious teens who were lurking in bushes near 30th and Roxbury. The three boys began cursing at her, but only one remained after she revealed that cops were on the way. He squared off against the 62-year-old and took a swing, landing a glancing blow on her chest. In return, she — quoting the police report — “jabbed him in the chest with a left, on the nose with a right, and then kneed him in the groin.” After running away, the underage, drunk, and combative trio tried to hide in some blackberry bushes. Stumbling and tripping, they were transported to the Southwest Precinct, where one vomited in the holding cell. Released to their parents, they face investigation of obstruction and minor-in-possession of alcohol. The third will also face questions about his failure at fisticuffs and might be charged with assault.

*Feeling that his tile saw was heavy enough to stymie any would-be thieves, a citizen left it in the bed of his pickup truck, which was parked in his driveway in the 3400 block of 41st SW. Overnight on the 30th, someone managed to lug it away without being detected.

Eight more summaries ahead:Read More

Share This

Still looking for a summer camp? Sealth program has room
June 11, 2012 6:37 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Still have room in your summer-camp program? Let us know – we’re putting together a list this week. For starters, here’s an update from Chief Sealth International High School basketball coach Colin Slingsby:

Sealth Basketball and Life Skills Camp is hosting three sessions this summer, and registration is still open for all sessions! The dates are as follows:

Session 1- June 25th to June 29th (about 20 spots left!)
Session 2- July 9th to July 13th
Session 3- August 6th to August 10th

Here is a direct link to the camp brochure and registration info.

Share This

West Seattle parks: New ‘furniture’ for Junction Plaza Park
June 11, 2012 4:09 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Notice the new “furniture” in Junction Plaza Park – tables and chairs for sitting outside with food, drink, friends, etc.? We got a tip the other day (thanks!) wondering if it was something “official” or if someone unofficially just set it out. This afternoon, Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association confirms it was placed there by WSJA – just in time for summer.

Share This

West Seattle Crime Watch: Overnight break-in at Tony’s Market
June 11, 2012 2:49 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

For the second time in a little more than a month, Tony’s Market at 35th/Barton has been broken into. This time, the report comes from SPD Blotter, which says that once police found the intruders, they also found evidence of what writer Jonah Spangenthal-Lee calls a “food fight”:

As the officer pulled up to the market, he found fruit and vegetables strewn in and around the business, and in the middle of the street.

Officers searched inside the market, found two men hiding under tables, and arrested them.

SPD Blotter says a third man was arrested for “obstruction.” We reported in early May on another break-in at the market, but one that didn’t involve the kind of damage reported here.

Share This

Update: Crash on southbound I-5 has cleared
June 11, 2012 1:44 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

WSDOT just sent this alert: “On I-5 southbound just south of West Seattle Bridge (MP 162) there is a collision blocking the 3 left lanes.” If you’re about to head in that direction, you might consider an alternate route.

4:16 PM UPDATE: This won’t be a problem for the evening commute – it was moved to the shoulder, per a WSDOT tweet last hour.

Share This

Stunt planned at Seafair Pirates Landing? Mystery CL ad
June 11, 2012 1:17 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

If an ad that just appeared on Craigslist in Seattle is for real, someone appears to be planning a political protest of sorts during this year’s Seafair Pirates Landing, coming up July 7th on Alki. Thanks to Diane for spotting the ad; it offers T-shirts (“sure to be a collectors item”) and $20 to each of up to 125 people who will be hired for: “Holding a sign and/or passing out info sheets requesting that the laws of the state of Washington and the City of Seattle should apply to all.” The ad also says organizers are “expecting national TV coverage.” We’ve sent a note to the blind-box address in the ad, which also includes an ad for a mail drop in Lake City. While we continue poking around for clues and awaiting a possible reply, thought we would throw it out to you – know what this is about? If you don’t want to leave a comment, you’re also welcome to e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com.

Share This

West Seattle development: Staircase in the sky
June 11, 2012 12:24 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Triangle | West Seattle news

Josh Sutton from the West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) caught this view of an unusual sight at the development site across the street from the Y’s HQ in The Triangle – a spiral staircase being hoisted into place. The 62-apartment development at 36th/Snoqualmie is Harbor/Urban‘s Nova, one of three major developments under construction in West Seattle right now, along with Youngstown Flats (26th/Dakota in North Delridge) and Oregon 42 (where the recent 3-home demolition is over and excavation is beginning) at 42nd/Oregon in The Junction.

Share This

West Seattle scenes: Electric cars; food truck; eagle’s perch
June 11, 2012 11:37 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Out and about the past few hours, here’s some of what we saw: Above, a group of parking spaces at Don Armeni marked as “no parking” for noon-5 pm today started filling up with shiny new Ford Focus electric cars – all bearing Michigan plates – so as two more were driven up, we asked the driver, “Commercial?” and he nodded. Right about that time, we found out via Twitter (hat tip, SeattleFoodTruck.com) that yet another food truck is testing the West Seattle waters:

That’s co-owner Kryse with the Happy Grillmore truck, parking in the Midas lot (4457 Fauntleroy Way SW) Mondays 11 am-2 pm starting today, specializing in burgers and fries, with two teriyaki burgers as today’s specials (veggie and salmon). Last but by no means least, a view from “Anchor Park” (the Duwamish Head lookout at the former site of Luna Park):

Couldn’t zoom in any further without a lens the size of the future Highway 99 tunnel – but even at a distance, you can’t mistake a bald eagle, this one with a great perch atop the navigational signage.

Share This

West Seattle Monday: North Delridge, Pigeon Point, cooking, paddleboarding, book groups..
June 11, 2012 9:18 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Seagull and scenery, courtesy of Susan on Beach Drive)
Four neighborhood councils meet over the next two nights, and one of them is starting the second year of its “meet outside in the summer” tradition … that’s part of what’s on the Monday docket from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:

TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERT: The southbound stretch of Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge will close 9 pm-5 am, first of four consecutive overnight closures. We’ve put together a full day-by-day/night-by-night list of this week’s 99 *and* Spokane Street Viaduct closures – see it here (the list continues through next weekend’s all-weekend-long-both-ways AWV/99 shutdown).

STUDENT CONCERTS: School-concert season is wrapping up with 1:30 and 6:30 pm performances scheduled at Roxhill Elementary (30th/Roxbury).

GOT A CLASSIC FAMILY RECIPE? Make it and bring it to the West Seattle Cooking Club, 3 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW).

LADIES’ NIGHT ON THE BOARDS: Should be a great night for stand-up paddleboarding, and Alki Kayak Tours has another edition of its “Ladies’ Night” set for 6 pm (1660 Harbor Avenue SW).

BOOK GROUPS: Tired of having nobody to talk to about the book you’re reading? Two library branches have book-group gatherings tonight – both on the Seattle Public Library calendar – both at 6:45 pm – the Southwest Branch (35th/Henderson) is reading “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco, and the West Seattle Branch (2306 42nd SW) is reading “Let’s Take the Long Way Home” by Gail Caldwell.

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Join NDNC in Cottage Grove Park (5206 26th SW) tonight at 6:30 pm as their “meet outdoors on nice summer nights” series resumes. The full agenda’s linked from their website.

PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Pathfinder K-8 cafeteria (19th SW and SW Genesee). Agenda details are in our calendar listing.

PUB QUIZ AT SHADOWLAND: Every Monday, go get your quiz on at Shadowland, 8 pm (4458 California SW).

FLAT EARTH SOCIETY AT WEST 5: The weekly vinyl-DJ’ing extravaganza, 9 pm Mondays at West 5 (4539 California SW). Tonight, featuring Johnny Horn of KEXP.

Share This