Update: Kitchen fire at home on 44th SW, no one hurt

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
10:33 AM: Firefighters are reporting flames as they arrive at the scene of a house fire in the 3400 block of 44th SW (map). We’ll be there shortly.

10:44 AM UPDATE: No word of injuries so far. Firefighters have put out the call for investigative unit Marshal 5, which is standard operating procedure.

10:51 AM UPDATE: Firefighters tell our crew at the scene that this was a “small kitchen fire” and it’s now out. Nobody was home when it started. A neighbor saw the smoke and called 911.

12:48 PM UPDATE: One of the neighbors shares more in the comment section. Another one sent this photo of a dog that got out safely:

We’ll update here when there’s official information on the fire’s cause.

1:25 PM UPDATE: SFD says “overheated electrical wiring” caused the fire, and they’re “classifying (it) as an accidental fire.” Damage is estimated at $20,000; along with the dog shown above, another dog and a cat were rescued by firefighters, according to the SFD update on Fire Line.

SJoy August 30, 2013 (10:36 am)

Prayers to the homeowners and firefighters… very scary and sad :(

WestSide45 August 30, 2013 (10:43 am)

So far five fire trucks, two command cars, two Medic One vehicles, and others past Admiral Way going south on California.

justme August 30, 2013 (10:45 am)

This is just three doors down from me. There are at least 5 fire trucks and extra vehicles too. Looks like half the fire department is on the front lawn not looking like any urgency at all. This is the third 911 call to this house since I’ve lived here. I hope she’s okay!

Mozabo August 30, 2013 (11:27 am)

A neighbor opened the back door and got the cats out and one of her dogs. The firefighter found one dog in the basement and is OK. We are not sure if she still had a third dog as a third dog is no where to be found.

supernova72 August 30, 2013 (11:29 am)

News chopper hovering over the area…glad to hear everyone is OK.

NW MAMA August 30, 2013 (11:29 am)

And this is the cause for the news helicopter too?

pdot August 30, 2013 (11:30 am)

Good job to the neighbor, could have been much worse.

george August 30, 2013 (11:31 am)

This must explain the news choppers on site now.

Mrs. T August 30, 2013 (11:31 am)

Yay for neighbors!

mozabo August 30, 2013 (11:31 am)

A neighbor opened the back door and got one dog and cat out. She couldn’t get the other dog out but fortunately after the fire was put out a firefighter found the other dog safe but scared.

k August 30, 2013 (11:32 am)

Is this the reason for Kiro7’s helicopter over our house?

Ms Pam August 30, 2013 (11:33 am)

Well this explains the helicopter hovering just east of my house! Hope damages are minimal & everyone is okay!!

Stefen August 30, 2013 (11:41 am)

Apparently this was enough to send out a news chopper. Odd.

WSB August 30, 2013 (11:45 am)

Yes, a fire with a report of flames will bring out a TV helicopter.

coleyklein August 30, 2013 (12:16 pm)

I was walking with my two boys in a double stroller when we passed the mother with her young son in a front pack who was calling 911. She saw the flames in the front window – thought at first it was the tv and then realized it was a fire. She told me there were pets inside. I left her with my boys and knocked loudly on the front door and ran around the side yard to the back entrance – I could see the kitchen was badly overcrowded with stuff and black smoke and flames. I could hear dogs barking. The back door was unlocked, so I opened it and two cats came rushing out – looked fine. One of the dogs came towards the back entrance after some coaxing but then snarled at me so it stayed in the well of the basement stairs. I left the door opene for the firefighters to arrive and handle. I could hear another dog barking. There was a lot of clutter in the home that may have been part of the fire’s cause.

The firetrucks came all at once and took some time sawing through the front door and had the fire out quickly. They had the collie on a rope and gave to some young neighbors to take care of. They did not know the dog but were very sweet to step in and help. I told the other mom that called 911 – that thank goodness she was walking through and looking – we knocked on all the doors nearby and no one was home and that house would have gone up quickly with all of that clutter and maybe taken others! A great neighbor, and stay at home mom!

On my walk back from the park the police said they still had not been able to locate the woman that lives there – she must be at work or out of town and no one seems to be able to contact her. She must be nearby because she does have four pets?

WSB August 30, 2013 (12:20 pm)

Thanks, CK, and thanks for what you did. SFD has not yet announced the fire’s cause, just to be clear. We did hear a fragment of dispatch on the radio, that they are indeed looking for the resident.

miws August 30, 2013 (12:33 pm)

Kudos to the neighbor, or neighbors, for being alert and quick-thinking!

Mike

mozabo August 30, 2013 (12:45 pm)

C.K. Thanks for what you did to save the animals. I live on the other side of the alley and I heard someone calling the dog. I then heard glass break. At that point I didn’t know it was a fire and then about 30 seconds later I heard the sirens and saw the black smoke. I was so worried about the animals and homeowner. You were brave to do what you did with all the clutter and bushes around.

coleyklein August 30, 2013 (12:57 pm)

Truly, the mother that called 911 – she saved the house and the pets – by the time the flames would have been outside for others to see it may have been too late and been a much bigger problem for house, pets and neighbor’s property. Very, very observant of her. A good reminder to always be aware of your surroundings.

enough August 30, 2013 (1:04 pm)

Isn’t this the house where police shot a dog a few years ago when they responded to a domestic violence call?

WSB August 30, 2013 (1:12 pm)

Enough – that was pointed out to us earlier; our archive does not include the specific address (the home looks identical) nor does it include names because there were no charges involved, so we have no way to verify even if the residents are the same, and even if they were, it isn’t more than a datapoint, at this point. – TR
- WSB August 30, 2013 (1:24 pm)
  
  Fire cause has been announced: Overheated wiring. Adding the SFD details to the story. – TR

enough August 30, 2013 (1:21 pm)

It is the same house, same owner(s) .. that’s their old abandonded teal blue car to the right of the firefighter in the top photo.

Panther August 30, 2013 (1:38 pm)

If it is the same house, same people, same whatever. WHO CARES. Some wonderful neighbors and our amazing FD rescued animals and put out what could have been a tragic fire. I hope the woman can be contacted soon, and thank you to the people in our town who care, who try to help, who do their best.
I love living in West Seattle….this is part of why. Our FD is amazing and very, very kind. (First hand experience…)

enough August 30, 2013 (2:32 pm)

I’m sorry I asked a clarifying question. Maybe I had information to share if it was the same house? Would dismissive comments from wsb and Panther encourage or discourage people coming forward with first hand information relevant to this story or future stories posted on this news site?

Panther, I’m glad you love living in WS.. would it hurt you to show some kindness/tolerance to a fellow west seattle-ite (Me)? How do you know I am not one of those caring neighbors or that my career may be as a first responder?

WSB August 30, 2013 (2:59 pm)

If anyone has information, regarding either the fire or the incident two years ago, authorities are the people to talk to. That’s our policy. Sometimes people try to post allegations, unsubstantiated claims, offtopic observations, etc., as comments, and that’s against our rules in a variety of ways, so we try to pro-actively pre-empt that before people go to the trouble of writing comments that will not be approved for publication, hence my note that it’s a datapoint. Thanks! – TR

Sonoma August 30, 2013 (2:55 pm)

That photo of the firefighter petting the dog is beautiful. Just look at the dog’s expression!

darlean tipke kane August 30, 2013 (4:11 pm)

Had a housefire/ lost a pet/ Seattle Fire Dept/All Fire Depts/Neighbors -Thank you. Know the house/lady/pets/history/personally-

payrollgirl August 30, 2013 (4:14 pm)

Great job to the 2 people that knew their neighbors well enough to know that there were pets inside and luckily got them out, I am always afraid that, that wouldn’t happen if my home caught on fire (2 cats).

Good job to coleyklein and Mom with baby!

West Seattle Hipster August 30, 2013 (6:09 pm)

Glad nobody was hurt and the pets are safe, great work by the neighbor.

Love that car in the right of the photo, if it’s abandoned that’s a shame, would be a sweet ride if restored.

Do West Seattlites have an irrational phobia of helicopters?

http://forum.deviantart.com/community/life/1719118/

Jim P August 30, 2013 (8:47 pm)

Firefighters are one of the best reasons to have to pay taxes I can think of.

When they stop one fire they may save a hundred other homes and countless lives.

Hard not to be grateful for that.

They run towards what any rational person will run *away* from.

Sara August 31, 2013 (12:40 am)

What a scare!! That’s my dog I use to own Ruger!! I couldn’t have him my new place. Did they find the homeowner ??? I don’t want him taken to the pound

Sorry, comment time is over.