UPDATE: ‘Heavy rescue’ callout after truck driver hits house

| Fauntleroy | Gatewood | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(WSB photos)

2:06 AM: Seattle Fire is sending a “heavy rescue” response to 40th SW and SW Thistle [map] on the Gatewood/Fauntleroy line for a report of a box truck hitting a house. We’re on our way to find out more.

2:23 AM: SFD is working to free the driver from the truck.

2:36 AM: Firefighters have cut the driver, a man believed to be in his late 20s, out of the truck. Medic unit will take him to the hospital. SFD says he is in ‘stable’ condition. No one hurt in the house; a neighbor tells us the residents apparently weren’t home.

2:57 AM: Firefighters have patched a spot on the corner of the house where the truck stopped. Some of the SFD units are leaving.

3:15 AM: We just left too – but first, once we were able to get closer, saw more of what happened, a story told by torn-up shrubbery and fencing: The truck appears to have gone onto the wrong side of the road just east of 40th SW….

then westbound across 40th and into/through the side yard, behind shrubs and fencing, of the house east of the one that it finally hit, also crossing an alley in the process:

Via scanner, SFD has just cleared the scene, and when the truck is towed, the Department of Construction and Inspections will have to check the house to see if it’s safe to inhabit.

~hockeywitch~ September 23, 2017 (2:16 am)

Yikes!!

All the sirens just woke me from a deep sleep. More just passed by 35th and Morgan. Hope everyone is okay.

WSB September 23, 2017 (4:52 am)

It’s pretty amazing that the truck driver was the only person hurt, and not seriously. By the way, for those who check the SFD log, the address of the house involved has so far not been corrected on that log – it happened at 4011, not 4004. And as of right now (going on 5 am), scanner traffic suggests the truck hasn’t yet been towed – going to be tricky because of how it got there in the first place, as shown above. – TR

ConcernedinGatewood September 23, 2017 (6:59 am)

So frightening. We heard the sirens. The photo above shows it is a Schwartz Brothers delivery truck. I hope the driver heals quickly and that he wasn’t driving impaired or overtired. Always a risk when people are expected to drive trucks during a graveyard shift. Something tells me this crash into a residential area wasn’t what the Schwartz Brothers intended when they coined their motto “From Our Family to Yours.”

Jen September 23, 2017 (8:45 am)

I live half a block away and heard nothing. There was a loud, buzzing drone overhead this morning at 6:30, but I figured it was for the two new McMansions that were just built next door. Maybe related?

Swede. September 23, 2017 (9:42 am)

These darned houses, comming out of nowhere.

Good and amazing nobody got injured.

Rick September 23, 2017 (9:45 am)

I initially thought it might have been that new WalMart “to your fridge” delivery thing.

Sheryl September 23, 2017 (1:10 pm)

Thanks for the laugh. Sometimes the comments get pretty intense on here. Nice to see a sense of humor :)

JanS September 23, 2017 (11:28 am)

amazing ! So sorry for the people who own the house . What a thing to come home to :(

Jodie Pietrowski September 23, 2017 (3:56 pm)

So my daughter her boyfriend and his brother are renters at this location. Such a blessing none of those young adults were home. So concerned about the driver. I can’t believe after seeing the truck that he lived through it. The owners of the house are lovely people along with the neighbors. The people that own the house next door where the truck went through their yard are so fortunate it didn’t hit their house. But their yard and fencing is ruined. They are lovely people as well all of the neighbors were coming over today after seeing the West Seattle Blog and the news. Thank you everyone for your thoughts for the driver of the vehicle and the homeowners and renters involved in this situation. I saw the inside of the house the ceiling is cracked from that corner of the house all the way to the other side. cannot open the front door. It was quite a scene last night. Again so happy my child and the boys were not home. My thoughts and prayers are with the homeowners and the driver for sure.

WSB September 23, 2017 (4:06 pm)

Thank you for letting us know, Jodie! Hope that your daughter and roommates won’t have too much of a hassle with living arrangements while this is fixed, etc. For all the crashes we’ve covered, I’ve never quite seen this type of circumstance … we live two blocks west of there and I was thinking after coming back home from the scene, for all the times we’ve worried about a vehicle missing the turn at California/Thistle and going off the road headed UPhill, I’ve never contemplated something like this happening with a vehicle crossing the center lane while going DOWNhill. – TR

Jim P. September 23, 2017 (4:36 pm)

Might be time for some traffic analysis and maybe the city putting up a couple of bollards to deflect such things in the future at this and similar locations.

There’s a lot of little “surprise” features in West Seattle roads that can take a person unawares let alone someone tired or impaired. (Not implying either in this case as no data has been provided.)

Thanksforsliming September 24, 2017 (1:12 pm)

You just did. Saying you’re not doing something while you’re doing it doesn’t undo it. It’s like saying something offensive and adding “no offense”.. Its still offensive! Total cop-out.
- WSB September 24, 2017 (1:20 pm)
  
  In this particular case, no surprises. Thistle is straight east-west from 16th to California. This is along the top of the hill coming up from 35th and then down toward California.

Thistle Street September 24, 2017 (8:18 pm)

Any update on the driver? Still so amazing no one else was hurt.

WSB September 24, 2017 (8:49 pm)

Without a name, we have no way of getting info from the hospital (if he even was admitted – his injuries were not reported to be major), but I will at least try asking Schwartz Brothers Bakery tomorrow, assuming the truck belonged to them and not some sort of independent contractor. – zyt
Jj September 25, 2017 (6:19 am)

*coworker to the Schwartz brothers bakery driver* He is fine, has a small Concussion and a bruised up knee. Thats all I heard so far. Thank you all for your concerns.

Sorry, comment time is over.