Video: Garage, 2 cars burn behind home on 45th SW in Fauntleroy, $180,000+ damage

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(SCROLL DOWN for midmorning video update from SFD)

(Video shared with WSB by neighbors)
5:07 AM: Seattle Fire units are responding to the 9400 block of 45th SW (map) right now to check out a house-fire report. More to come.

5:15 AM: Crews on scene describe the fire as in a garage, according to emergency-radio communications. People in the area tell us flames are visible from a distance. Our crew is arriving.

5:27 AM: Crews report the fire is under control and that they have moved to a defensive firefighting mode.

5:33 AM: Just added video shared by neighbors, showing the fire at its height. Our crew at the scene has talked with the residents, who say they got out OK after somebody knocked on the door to wake them up and tell them about the fire in their garage, which is behind their house.

No injuries are reported.

5:55 AM: While the flames are out, the garage is still smoldering, and it’s too soon for fire crews to know what started the fire, and what damage was done to the vehicles in the garage. We’re told it’s part of an older structure that was on the site – the house in front is newer.

Traffic note: Metro says the fire response is rerouting RapidRide buses off SW Wildwood. Here are reroute details.

6:54 AM: Streets are reopening, so the buses should return to regular routing soon (confirmed by Metro, 7:06 am).

9:33 AM: We went back to the scene, where SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore told us the cause for now remains “undetermined.”

Moore told us more not only about the fire damage, but about why this location and situation posed some unique challenges to firefighters:

anita January 23, 2014 (6:23 am)

Currently on a C line bus at the Y near the fire, and am seriously impressed with the driving skills. The driver turned us around with almost no room to spare. Kudos to the metro employee that got us out! But looks like the message still isn’t fully out – another C line bus just went by that way.

WSB January 23, 2014 (6:29 am)

Anita – if you have connectivity in a bit, please tell us if the bus goes anywhere near Gatewood. The Metro text advised riders to use California/Ida/Thistle/41st instead, which is nowhere near there, and nowhere near the regular C route – it’s on the 22 route – I’m trying to verify if the reroute is really that drastic.
- WSB January 23, 2014 (6:38 am)
  
  … Metro’s blog-format commute updates have more on the reroute: http://metrocommute.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/rapidride-c-line-is-rerouted-off-of-sw-wildwood-pl-and-fauntleroy-way-sw

Sandal40 January 23, 2014 (8:45 am)

So glad nobody got hurt. Way to help out, whoever knocked on their door!!

flynlo January 23, 2014 (11:47 am)

From the video – “had to lay 1000ft. of hose to Wildwood” !!
Is this another neighborhood like Arbor Heights that has substandard water mains?

How much additional damage was done while waiting for water?

neighbor January 23, 2014 (3:15 pm)

Are there maps available that show where the fire hydrants are located?

WSB January 23, 2014 (3:52 pm)

Regarding the hydrants and 1,000 feet of hose, I followed up with SFD’s Kyle Moore. He explains:
.
“The long hose lay wasn’t a problem because all of our engines carry 1000 feet of hose. Because the fire was in the alley, it was easier to establish a water source by going straight down the alley and down the street rather than wind a hose line next to the burning garage, over fences and to the hydrant located on 45th street. There were no problems with water flow from either hydrant.

In fact, once the fire was extinguished, we switched to water from the hydrant located on 45th street so we would no longer be blocking SW Brace Point Drive when the morning ferry traffic started.”

fauntleroy fairy January 30, 2014 (10:11 pm)

I live close and the problem was that the fire department should have fought this fire from 45th. There is a roomy straight shot on either side of the house with hydrants only four houses away both up and down the street. The extra hose lines were brought in by 3 additional engines from as far away as Alki and Highland Park that they had to call as back-up to help. Almost 15 minutes went by before they even got water on it.

This should have been a 1 alarm fire and put out way before there was this much damage. I feel bad for the homeowners.

I love the fire department, but everyone standing there watching that night couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

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