If you’re seeing the smoke over downtown: Capitol Hill fire

Lots of questions about black smoke visible downtown, looking across from here. 911 log shows an apartment-building fire on Capitol Hill, in the 300 block of Bellevue Ave. E. (map). Firefighters are there.

12:09 PM: *Not* a huge fire, despite all that smoke – it’s already described over the scanner as “knocked down,” and “confined to a deck on the roof.”

12:30 PM: Thanks to everyone who sent photos/asked questions – when something is so visible from here, even if it’s not happening *in* WS, we’ll always try to get information as fast as we can, and tips are almost always how we get first word. No injuries reported so far.

P.S. For any further updates, check back with our friends at CapitolHillSeattle.com.

5 Replies to "If you're seeing the smoke over downtown: Capitol Hill fire"

  • OP September 11, 2014 (2:24 pm)

    Disturbing photo angle given today is 9/11.

    • WSB September 11, 2014 (2:34 pm)

      OP, that’s exactly why it caught people’s attention from here and how the tweets/questions came in to us. While it could be seen from many places around the city – we also received a photo from a reader in SLU, via Facebook, for example – this particular view was indeed a heart-stopper on today of all days …

  • Diane September 11, 2014 (4:59 pm)

    I saw the live aerial views on tv news; it looked huge, and from all reports, did significant damage to some of the top floor apts; as an apt dweller who lives on top floor, this is one of my greatest fears; especially with fireworks and those fire-filled lanterns that people set off to float into the sky that can land anywhere, including our flat roof, right over my head; glad everyone got out of their apts safely today, but some may very well be without homes now

    • WSB September 11, 2014 (6:00 pm)

      $25,000 damage to the roof is the official SFD report. Some water damage to units. I’m sorry to have to keep pouring cold water on my old line of business, but you have to take TV reports with a grain of salt – even as TV stations were catching up with the fire and screaming on Twitter about two alarms, “battling the blaze,” etc., we had already heard the second alarm canceled and the SFD declaration that the fire was knocked down. It’s tough, I get to listen to the scanner, field crews don’t always and are getting info relayed from the folks at the desk who are also trying to track 22 counties. Anyway, “improper disposal of smoking materials” blamed. same exact thing as the roof fire in the Admiral District not that long ago. I’m no fan of Sky Lanterns either, but in these cases, it seems the danger is more often from someone who’s right there, than floating on over. – TR

  • Diane September 11, 2014 (7:04 pm)

    there were several tenants interviewed on the street on the 5pm news; scary stuff; one woman said she had no idea anything was happening, then opened her front door and saw flames, tons of smoke; there was a very elderly couple who escaped; several apts on top floor have water damage due to fire dept dousing the roof; so the tenants cannot stay there for now; it may not be huge monetary damage, but HUGE impact to the lives of people who are displaced, and may have their property damaged by the water
    ~
    I totally agree that tv news sometimes makes a ridiculous big deal about some minor stuff; conversely, some big stuff that really causes hardship to people, gets a one line sound bite; if this happened to me, I would be pretty devastated; so I feel tremendous empathy for the people displaced today; and aggravated that it’s likely from another stupid cigarette left burning; all too common in apt/house fires

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