10:01 PM: We’re in the 2200 block of California SW, where fire crews are checking out a “fire in building” call. More shortly.
10:03 PM UPDATE: It’s NOT a “fire in building” as per the original call – a bush/tree caught fire near Mind Unwind, the gallery/event venue a couple buildings north of the ex-Blockbuster.
10:14 PM UPDATE: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli sent the photo above after also checking out the scene; he says a witness saw the small fire sparked by fireworks.
gee, wonder if some of those “bombs” going off had something to do with it, she says sarcastically..
Not too surprised. I’ve heard the fire engines leave the junction at least three times tonight.
We saw people lighting fireworks inside the tennis court at Hiawatha park. Tried to report it but was on hold too long. Hope they didn’t destroy the nets that were up.
They are illegal. If you have any extra bottle rockets or such, put them in your old illegal plastic bags and blow ’em up. Seattle City Council has clearly solved any and all the problems we all face so they can spend their valuable time telling us how we must act. Liberty much?
White Center & Arbor Heights Elementary are a grade display tonight! Who needs to go to gas works!?!
I’d have liked to have had the liberty to get to sleep before midnight last night…
There were people on the apartment roof of that same building lighting off fireworks, I’m sure that had something to do with that bush fire.
Amen, Danno! I had a pretty good idea, before even clicking to read the comments, what they were going to say… And datamuse, you have the liberty to live elsewhere. Even if it is just for the night :)
Nice to know that some people believe that they have the “liberty” to accidentally set fire to someone else’s property. And that they have the “liberty” to have the response for their actions (fire, police, emergency room) paid for by the general public.
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Yes. Fireworks are illegal in the city limits. If you want the liberty to set them off, go buy a large property outside of the city where a) you won’t affect anyone else’s property and b) you and only you are responsible for putting out any fires you start and tending to any wounds you get. Stop expecting everyone else to pay for your “liberty”.
Just so we’re clear, Jason: those who are trying to sleep should go elsewhere so that those who are illegally setting off fireworks can do so unimpeded? Please feel at liberty to regard your own counsel.
Clearly there is a large demand in this city to celebrate our independence day with a personal fireworks display. I just wish the city would set-up designated areas rather then an outright ban. Prohibition doesn’t work.
No prohibition doesn’t work. Making them illegal doesn’t either. I can’t believe what goes on at the elementary school and no one gets caught! That’s pretty brazen to do it on school property
There is quite a bit of trash left behind where people were enjoying their “liberty.” Making them illegal is only going to work if the police do something about it, just like the speeding up and down the Admiral hill. That worked pretty effectively, but people will still be terrifying all the neighborhood animals lighting up their “illegal liberty fireworks” for the next 3 or 4 days, too – because they know they can.
Here’s the paradoxical thing about police and fireworks. Yesterday the big job was crowd control – ergo the emphasis patrol on Alki and a huge deployment for the tens of thousands around Lake Union – but the night before, they WERE dispatching police to fireworks calls, I heard it on the scanner all night. Don’t know what the solution is for the 4th when there are only so many officers to go around … besides, well, respecting the laws. Next year fireworks stands may not be as close as they have been, because White Center and the rest of unincorporated North Highline will be voting on Burien annexation this November, and Burien’s fireworks laws are the same as Seattle. – TR
Another case of “we can’t come up with a feasible solution, so we may as well blame the SPD.” Broken record…
I guess Danno and Jason would have no problem with liberty loving meth cookers setting up shop in their front yards/apartments for a few nights each year. They obviously have no problem with a few small explosions in the name of personal expressions of patriotism.
With another year yet to work on this, I wonder if it would be feasible for citizens to come together, with SPD’s blessing, with some kind of citizen patrols?
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This would be especially important around the areas of schools/parks.
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Perhaps the Blockwatch Captain’s Network could be the starting point of this?
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Maybe a plan could be implemented over the next several months, and organizing could be done at BWCN meetings, as well as the meetings that are regularly held at SW Precinct.
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Mike
I just wish people were smart, responsible and respectable enough so that we COULD have fireworks. I for one Loved doing fitrworks as a kid……….. Sucks that do-do heads had to ruin the fun. :(
Datamuse… Waahhh!! Too bad I don’t have a time machine so I can go back and see what you’ve done on every 4th of July (or any day, really…) for your life. I’m sure every waking moment was all neat and orderly and inline with best practices of life, right? Puh-leeze.
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I guess we should outlaw talking, kids playing, motorcycles, the hyrdroplane races, baseball games, airplanes and helicopters too – all those can get noisy also.
Fire works are extremely loud it hurts my old ears but it’s so cool to watch. People need to go to and Indian rez in witch fire works are LEAGAL so we don’t have to wory about all of these fires! But it’s also a tradition so I’d also would be kind if sad to see them go there beautiful but dangerous
Great Idea Mike – I’m all for it! My husband laughs a me each year because I get so fed up with the jerks who assume the laws don’t apply to them. I’ve even gone out to find the culprits in my neighborhood, but to no avail, I think there’s a lot of back yard action happening around me.
Jason – you’re ignoring that there are laws against kids playing (after 10:pm curfew), and decible laws relating to airplanes, helicopters and all motorvehicles as well. There’s very little chance a loud baseball game will be taking place outside Datamuse’s house, and no chance of a hydroplane race happing on her street.
Our right to relative quiet after 10:00pm – even on the 3rd, 4th & 5th of July – does trump your “liberty” to be a loud jerk – it’s the law of our community and if you find it so offensive..you have the “liberty” to move.
There is no 10:00pm curfew in the City of Seattle. Did you dream that up? Wait, you couldn’t have, you weren’t able to sleep. There are quiet hours defined in the SMC, but not any codes against kids playing.
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My original point was that it’s not like this occurs every single night in Seattle. But I can guarantee you it is going to occur every 4th of July week, no matter what restrictions the city creates or attempts to enforce. It will always happen. And complaining about it on here will not stop anything. Complaining to the police will not stop anything, because quite frankly we all know there are higher priority incidents we would rather they attend to. It humored me that before I even read the comments, I knew there were going to be ones along the lines of hoodlums with illegal fireworks, the cops don’t do anything, this violates our rights, etc. Lighten up people! You even admitted your own husband laughs at you… why do you think this is???
Okay, Jason. So you think that the noise, one night (yeah right) a year is no big deal?
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Fine.
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What, then, is your answer to the very real danger of someone’s home catching fire, from a stray bottle rocket? (And we know that Murphy’s Law will dictate a greater probability that it’ll be the home of non-pyromaniac neighbor, rather than the home of the rocket launcher).
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Mike
Jason, your powers of precognition are truly stunning.
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Your powers of comprehension, however, might need some work.
I dunno, Mike, but it’s kinda ironic that you’re asking that question as a comment to a story about a fire started by fireworks…
Jason, if you are at all patriotic you would obey the LAW and RESPECT your neighbors. Contrary to what you think there a thousands of people here in West Seattle that do not want to live in a warzone for 4 days. Move to the suburbs where this belongs!
Well Diane… you question my patriotism and assume that I don’t obey the law or respect my neighbors. As per datamuse, that’s an incredibly rude thing to say. Or assume, as it is.
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And I love your “elitist” attitude that this type of vehement lawlessness belongs only in the suburbs… not in your backyard/war zone of West Seattle. Like the “suburbs” as you call them (care to name the boundaries?) are lesser deserving of the expectations of the law and order you demand here in West Seattle.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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