SEEN FROM WEST SEATTLE: The SODO fire that sent up all that smoke

7:33 PM: Thanks to those who sent photos (the one above is from Jamie) – the smoke you are (or were) seeing is from what Seattle Fire has initially described as an RV fire that spread to a building at Colorado and Hanford in SODO [map].

7:37 PM: SFD says the fire’s out and no injuries were reported.

8:28 PM: Since we were in the area, headed back from the light-rail meeting, we checked out the aftermath:

The SFD crew that remained on scene confirmed no one hurt and no significant damage to the building, which is open-faced and holds metal materials.

ADDED 11:56 PM: Bill Gobie sent this video:

This was along his route home.

McGruff June 21, 2018 (7:10 am)

Another business casualty of the City Council’s encouragement of vagrancy in Seattle (add this to businesses like Buffalo Industries moving because of aggressive vagrants in the vicinity).If we enforced our parking laws (72 hour max), there’s a very good chance this wouldn’t have happened. Vagrant RV ‘campers’ park in industrial areas because the RVs exceed the width minimum (vehicles over 80″ wide can only park overnight on Seattle streets in areas zoned ‘Industrial’.This is also why we have a vagrant RV ‘KOA Kampground’ on Harbor Avenue (it’s one of the few areas in WS that is zoned Industrial).

Just wait until this summer when it’s nice and hot, and the foliage is dry.It’s gonna be a long, hot summer. Thank you, Lisa Herbold!

heyalki June 21, 2018 (7:15 am)

yes, yes, and yes!

heyalki June 21, 2018 (7:14 am)

This is why…

Wiz June 21, 2018 (7:55 am)

A reasonable head tax or RV fires. Take your pick.

Doug Rasc June 21, 2018 (9:13 am)

Remove the RV”s now and Tents. Enforce the laws !!!! TICKET AND TOW !!!!

misericordia June 21, 2018 (9:19 am)

I don’t think there is a business casualty here, the business in this photo does not look to be affected other then a few burnt fence slats: https://goo.gl/maps/YAn3wX9tqAn , and Lisa Herbold represents District 1 , most of the industrial areas, including where this fire happened are in District 2 – Bruce Harrell . I also drive through his area daily and have see multiple RV encampments cleared, and tens of thousands spent to fence off the areas under the WS bridge.

Patrick June 21, 2018 (10:26 am)

MISER…..Can’t quite tell if you are attempt to correct some statements from McGruff on a micro level, or if you are trying to defend/support the current efforts of our council/mayor. When it gets down to it, the point McGruff is making is very valid in that our entire city council sucks.And, as to your point of tens of thousands spent to fence off a few areas under the West Seattle Bridge….tens of thousands for a few small areas compared to the tens of millions that are mostly wasted under the current programs. Not to mention the fact that these fences have been up for a couple of years now(without much happening recently) and it took a couple of murders, human sex trafficking, and child abandonment to get that done. Absolutely shameful response from our city leaders over several years now.

Patrick June 21, 2018 (9:22 am)

Important issues that affect the immediate liveability of our city, such as plastic straws and utensils, get the attention of our city council. They don’t have time to address the silly things such as drug vagrants drug dealers, gang turf wars and the damage they are causing to our streets, citizens, neighborhoods, and waterways. Wait, I have an idea…..Lets all go hand out plastic straws to the drug zombies so they can more easily consume. Perhaps then, our disgrace of a city council will actually stop the drug use because of plastic straws! Can’t wait to vote you out Lisa Herbold. Hopefully the rest of the districts of Seattle will do the same with their embarrassing council member as well.

Rick June 21, 2018 (9:30 am)

Selective law enforcement. All the time. If you open your eyes, it is very visible.

Steven Lorenza June 21, 2018 (9:55 am)

The city leadership makes a grand show about caring about our industrial base….and then actively permits the crime, trash, and unsafe fires and living in SODO. It’s absurd.

Wiz June 21, 2018 (10:05 am)

Patrick’s right – decriminalizing drugs would be a great first step to actually fixing the problem.

Lola June 21, 2018 (10:24 am)

This morning on the news it was stated that the Business owner of the RV that was parked and caught fire has told officials numerous times that they are too close to his building. Nothing was ever done. His business could have gone up with the RV. Are we just going to let these people do anything they want till there is no longer a business district? Get these people out of office and get someone in there with guts to do something.

Joe Szilagyi June 21, 2018 (11:31 am)

What’s the actual address of the damaged building? What business name?

WSB June 21, 2018 (11:49 am)

The SFD log never updated beyond Colorado/Hanford as a location so I can’t help you there. Perhaps the aforementioned citywide-media account has specifics.
- WSB June 21, 2018 (12:29 pm)
  
  … the one I found did not. However, I did ping SFD for cause/damage info. Cause: Undetermined. Damage estimates: $10K to warehouse contents, $3,500 to RV.

Kathy June 21, 2018 (1:01 pm)

Colorado Street – one of the very few “safe” routes for people biking through SODO getting to/from West Seattle. And it is mostly unpaved and full of giant chuckholes.

flimflam June 21, 2018 (4:42 pm)

so insane that this is allowed to go on like this. i really feel for the business owner. the rv owner should be held accountable for any damages.

MJ June 21, 2018 (5:29 pm)

The RV owner owes the business owner $10k for the damages

1994 June 21, 2018 (9:14 pm)

I am sure very few, if any, of the RDs (rolling dumps) around town have car insurance as is required by WA state law. If I were pulled over and could not supply proof of car insurance I am sure I would get the ticket that runs hundreds of dollars. Are any of these RD owners getting ticketed for having no car insurance?

McGruff June 21, 2018 (11:04 pm)

Unlikely. We seem to have a ‘two tier’ justice system. One set of laws for vagrants, one set for law-abiding, taxpaying citizens. Guess who’s is stricter?

TM7302 June 22, 2018 (9:08 am)

WIZ, are you serious? All decriminalization will do is reduce the number of cases related to drugs for personal use. Do you think this would reduce drug abuse and addiction? Reduce homelessness? Reduce the crime (car prowls, home burglary, etc) associated with drug use? Reduce the encampments that are polluting our city?

BH June 22, 2018 (7:58 pm)

I am relived that the business was okay and no one was hurt, nice work Seattle FD. I’m sorry for the person that lost their home.

Carolin June 26, 2018 (11:16 pm)

After having seen the smoke on my drive home to South Delridge this evening, my first thought when I read that it was an RV Fire was, “I hope no one was hurt or killed,” and my second thought was, “someone or some people who are already struggling have just lost their home and have nowhere to go.” I’m a small business owner. I understand people’s frustration with garbage and people asking for money, but bottom line is they are HUMAN BEINGS, who deserve compassion. Most people I know in all honesty are a paycheck or a serious illness away from homelessness. Compassion first.

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