UPDATE: Fire response in 4700 block Delridge Way SW

| Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Thanks to Amanda L for the photo)
9:29 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is headed to a reported fire at a house in the 4700 block of Delridge Way SW (map). So far, it’s being described as a kitchen fire.

9:35 PM: Units are reporting the fire’s under control. No word of any injuries. Traffic effects, though, until units leave the area.

9:42 PM: The fire’s now tapped, and firefighters don’t believe it extended into the house’s attic.

9:51 PM: Northbound Delridge is blocked for now at Edmunds.

10:02 PM: Some of the units are being dismissed now.

Danelle April 9, 2015 (9:33 pm)

Just heard all of the sirens two minutes ago. You are on it! Thank you for the update.

Andrew Joslin April 9, 2015 (9:56 pm)

Southbound traffic on Delridge is getting thru. Northbound is being diverted at Edmunds. They’re cleaning up, but huge response & could be a while.

WSB April 9, 2015 (10:02 pm)

Thank you. They’re now dismissing more of the units so it should lighten up shortly.

Charlie April 9, 2015 (10:13 pm)

Just got home after having driven through the scene. Can’t believe there was such a response for a kitchen fire. It looked more like a 5-alarm. In any case, hope no one was injured!

izzy April 9, 2015 (10:15 pm)

They do such large response because of how close in proximity the homes are. They can jump and get out of control very fast.

WSB April 9, 2015 (10:17 pm)

And as we’ve discussed here many times … any fire in a home, multi-family dwelling, commercial/school/etc. building gets a “full response” because it could be a matter of life and death if they dispatched one unit for starters and THEN had to call out more … easier to send the full response, then pull back. I’m sorry I don’t have a handy explainer link on this.

ltfd April 10, 2015 (3:30 pm)

FYI- Standard Seattle Fire Department dispatch for a reported “Fire in Building” (multiple unit residence- triplex, apartments, etc.):
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5 Engines: each w/ crew of 4; fire attack,rescue.
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2 Ladders: each w/crew of 4; fire attack support- forcible entry, search & rescue,ventilation,etc.
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1 Aid Car: 2 FF/EMT’s; fire attack or medical ops.
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1 Medic Unit: 2 FF/Paramedics; medical ops.
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2 Battalion Chiefs: fire scene command & control.
Deputy Chief: attends all fires & rescues.
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Staff 10: 1 FF; tracks crew assignments/locations.
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Air 9: 1 FF; delivers compressed air for FF air packs & O2 for medical support.
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Safety Chief: independently evaluates scene hazards & alerts command- fire conditions, structural stability, electrical hazards, threatened exposure buildings, etc.
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Assuming the worst, and dispatching enough units to cover for the possible work assignments, provides the following:
1. An attack hoseline team & backup hoseline team for the unit or floor on fire.
2. Two hoseline teams to protect threatened exposures- the floor above the fire floor or adjacent units threatened by spreading fire.
3. A “Rapid Intervention Team” (required by law), standing by on the building exterior, or lower floors, ready to rescue FF teams that need emergency help.
4. A crew for fire attack support: assisting with forcible entry, search & rescue, ventilation of smoke & fire gases.
5. A crew available for relief/rotation of interior crews.
6. Available medical care for injured citizens or FF’s.
7. Command & control of the incident- fire attack strategy, ongoing risk/benefit analysis of scene hazards, communications, work assignments, crew rotation (when teams exhaust their air supplies while fire fighting), rehabilitation of tired crews.
8. Salvage operations to protect uninvolved property from smoke & water damage.
9. Overhaul & investigation of the fire scene.
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The first-arriving unit will size-up the incident, and they can reduce the number of other responding units if appropriate. On the other hand, the first-arriving unit can request additional resources if appropriate: multiple patients, fire spreading to exposures, inadequate water supply, etc.