Update: Avalon reopens north of Genesee after medic response, gas problem

ORIGINAL REPORT< 5:02 PM: A medic response and possible gas leak have Avalon blocked north of Genesee. Buses are being rerouted.

5:10 PM: The area where an odor, possibly gas, is detectable is the same area where a possible leak caused trouble some months back – the former church on the east side of Avalon. We should know more shortly – SFD public information officers have arrived.

5:22 PM: SFD’s Lt. Sue Stangl confirmed to WSB at the scene that this incident involves suicide – the natural gas was running, to the point where it was dangerous outside the apartment where it happened. The air has to clear to a safe level before the road can reopen. Medics tried but were unable to revive the victim. (If you or someone you know considers self-harm, 206-461-3222 is the Crisis Clinic‘s 24-hour line.)

5:41 PM: The road has reopened; Metro has resumed normal routing.

Rwthw December 17, 2013 (5:07 pm)

Anyone have any more information on this? I live in that part of Avalon :(

Katie December 17, 2013 (5:09 pm)

Traffic is awful. Avoid if possible.

Kristin December 17, 2013 (5:25 pm)

To add to the traffic confusion, there is a large truck blocking all traffic on Genesee at 26th.

Eric Thomas December 17, 2013 (5:31 pm)

Go down Del ridge to Trenton, then cut up…. Genes see is blocked

Kathleen December 17, 2013 (5:32 pm)

We live only a couple blocks away and my husband is stuck with our baby in our car in the back-up. Scary for us but the cause of it is terribly sad.

Ildiko December 17, 2013 (5:34 pm)

Very sorry to read that someone was in so much pain they thought this was the only solution. May they finally be in peace.

Eric Thomas December 17, 2013 (5:34 pm)

Brandon! Not Tremton!

PAM December 17, 2013 (5:38 pm)

Sad that people are more worried about traffic , than the fact that some poor soul was so depressed or lonely that they took their life. Rest in Peace hope that you find some peace now.

Katie December 17, 2013 (5:49 pm)

PAM- My traffic post was before I knew it was a suicide. I’m sure others are the same.

Greta December 17, 2013 (5:55 pm)

Pam, I think they posted their comments before the blog updated that there was a suicide.

Kathleen December 17, 2013 (5:59 pm)

Very sad the person felt this was the only solution.

Shaun December 17, 2013 (5:59 pm)

I saw the medical examiners truck and a gas company truck on my way back down the hill when they opened it back up. I knew it was something bad then.

Mary E OConnor December 17, 2013 (6:36 pm)

This is so sad and a family will be devastated tonight. It’s a rough time of the year for some people.

Jenny December 17, 2013 (7:24 pm)

So sorry to hear about this. My thoughts are with their family and friends. Do you happen to know the address since I live on this street? Thank you.

WSB December 17, 2013 (7:38 pm)

Jenny – there is an address for the response on the 911 log:
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http://www2.cityofseattle.net/fire/realTime911/getRecsForDatePub.asp?action=Today&incDate=&rad1=des
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but I can’t guarantee that’s the actual address – the fire log often shows the address from which something was called in rather than the actual address – we’ve noticed a few cases in which corrections were never made, and that’s one reason why we don’t often quote the address from the log. While at the scene, our crew was focused on finding out what was going on rather than getting the #.