UPDATE: Vehicle catches fire after driver crashes at North Delridge construction site

5:23 PM: Firefighters have made quick work of what’s described as a “car fire near a structure under construction” in the 4500 block of 23rd SW [map of vicinity]. We’re on our way to check it out.

5:37 PM: At the scene. Added photo of the vehicle that caught fire.

5:40 PM: Our crew is told the vehicle caught fire after crashing into the under-construction building, which is just south of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. The driver took off and is not yet in custody.

7:25 PM: The vehicle’s been towed and police have left the scene. We checked the area just as they were departing – and shortly thereafter found ourselves behind the tow truck taking the vehicle away:

The tow driver had paused (for reasons unknown). And a P.S. – as mentioned in comments, “Avalon Tom” caught some video that shows the thick dark smoke that briefly called this fire to many people’s attention:

We’ll be following up on this post-holiday.

8 Replies to "UPDATE: Vehicle catches fire after driver crashes at North Delridge construction site"

  • AvalonTom May 27, 2018 (5:41 pm)

    Saw it when I heard the fire trucks. Got some video of how quickly it went up and how quickly the fire department knocked it down. Hope nobody got hurt!

    • dsa May 28, 2018 (10:33 am)

      Nice video Tom, glad you kept it running until the smoke turned from black to white.

  • Carmen O'Reilly May 27, 2018 (5:46 pm)

    Buildings are too close to the road and should never have been permitted. Worried about future tenants

    • Alki resident May 27, 2018 (7:28 pm)

      You’re right, the building should never have been there, the driver never would’ve fleed.

    • KM May 27, 2018 (11:01 pm)

      Damn building always getting in the way of cars!

  • Diane May 27, 2018 (7:45 pm)

    whoa, mystery solved as to what that weird stinky burning smell was in my apt (at top of hill over WS bridge); thanks for the video AvalonTom

  • Westwood Charlie May 27, 2018 (10:31 pm)

    I was on the 125 heading downtown and came across the scene. The road was blocked halfway down the hill to Delridge. The road was very narrow and it took some time to turn the bus around. There was no other outlet, so we had to backtrack quite a way back to get down to Delridge. Wish they had blocked the road much further up so as to allow an easier exit. 

  • Kendra June 9, 2018 (8:32 pm)

    I’m curious if there have been any updates. My husband and mom saw the driver run up 23rd and tried to assist as he was asking for help. Thanks!

Sorry, comment time is over.