UPDATE: 2 to hospital after crash closes slope-split 59th SW in Alki

(Photo added 9:54 am, looking toward 59th SW crash-response scene)

9:33 AM: Seattle Fire is arriving at a crash on 59th SW south of Admiral Way [map] with a “rescue extrication” response. Power lines are down. Updates to come.

9:42 AM: The collision involves two cars per SFD. Medics have radioed that two people are seriously hurt.

9:50 AM: Given the narrow, split configuration of 59th in that area, some response vehicles are on eastbound Admiral too, so be careful if you have to travel that street.

10:03 AM: Photos added. This is on the southbound, one-way section of 59th SW. The injured people are being taken to Harborview by SFD medic units. Both were in the same car, we’re tol. As mentioned earlier, power lines are down; a pole is visibly leaning, across the northbound/downhill side:

10:18 AM: Police tell us the collision actually happened on the downhill/NB side of 59th and both cars came down the embankment.

(Added: Christopher Boffoli’s aerial view)

Both injured people were in the car in the background. The driver of the one in the foreground is OK and talking to media. He says firefighters told him the other driver might have had a medical emergency preceding the collision. Meantime, SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation detectives are responding, so the scene will be closed for some hours.

(SFD photo)

11:21 AM: The photo above was tweeted by SFD, showing the car they had to cut into to free the injured driver and passenger, who are reported to be in critical and stable condition. A commenter also notes that power is out in the area; the City Light map shows 75 customers affected, with a current restoration estimate after 1 pm.

12:18 PM: Update from SFD – the driver in critical condition is a 69-year-old man; his passenger, a 67-year-old woman, serious but stable. The other driver, a 61-year-old man, was unhurt. (added) Here’s part of what Jim Lee told reporters:

The power-outage restoration estimate for the area is now just after 4:30 pm.

1:19 PM: Kersti Muul tells us Seattle City Light is on scene with a replacement pole and other repair work under way.

3 PM: Just went through the area. SCL is still working on the northbound side but it looks like there’s enough room to pass.

3:38 PM: SPD confirms that a medical emergency caused the crash. Otherwise, the only new detail in this just-posted SPD Blotter summary is that two members of the crew that had been working on southbound 59th suffered minor injuries from the falling wires.

23 Replies to "UPDATE: 2 to hospital after crash closes slope-split 59th SW in Alki"

  • Alki Guy May 13, 2019 (9:34 am)

    I was woken to the sound of this crash. Lots of screeching tires and broken glass

    • Allison Stieger May 13, 2019 (11:15 am)

      Are you still home? Is 59th still closed? I’m on Horton, wondering how long I should stay away. I got out alright, but I won’t be able to get home until 59th reopens.

      • WSB May 13, 2019 (11:18 am)

        As noted above, it’ll likely be a few hours, because the Traffic Collision Investigation detectives were called out. Plus the pole will have to be repaired.

      • Virginia radel May 13, 2019 (11:45 am)

        Yes 59th still closed and will be for sometime; police doing their investigation and power company still has to do something with the power lines and pole; might not open for 3 or 4 more hours by the looks of it. 

  • Kersti May 13, 2019 (9:42 am)

    Sounds like every emergency response vehicle is on the way…Roaring down admiral way.People please stay away it’s bad.

  • Nw mama May 13, 2019 (9:52 am)

    Hope the victims are okay.  Thanks for the prompt report.  Every time I see such a large response head toward a school (in this case Alki El) I fear the worst.  

  • Erin May 13, 2019 (10:57 am)

    They turned off power in the neighborhood to repai the downed lines. Any news on when they’ll turn it back on?

    • WSB May 13, 2019 (11:29 am)

      City Light’s restoration estimates are usually just guesses but since this isn’t part of multiple and/or sizable outages, the 1 pm estimate might be somewhat reliable – http://www.seattle.gov/light/sysstat/

    • Kersti Muul May 13, 2019 (11:34 am)

      When they get the necessary equipmentTransformer probably needs replacing and pole needs to be uprighted. Could be a while.

  • Mike May 13, 2019 (11:08 am)

    Oh jeez.  I hope the injured folks are gonna be okay.  I share NW Mama’s fears every time I hear the sirens head up Admiral Way – that’s the main route to WSHS, Lafayette, Madison, Schmitz Park, Alki, and  other schools. 

  • Kitty May 13, 2019 (11:36 am)

    Is any having internet connection issues? My internet stopped working around the time of the accident.

    • Erin May 13, 2019 (12:49 pm)

      Kitty, your WiFi probably went down when the power went out. Try hardwiring. It’s worth a shot. 

  • Erik May 13, 2019 (12:51 pm)

    The southbound lane was already closed with SDOT jackhammering in front of our house. Was one of the cars going southbound in the north bound lane?

    • WSB May 13, 2019 (1:24 pm)

      According to early word from SPD, both were on the NB side; the driver who was unhurt says he was told the other driver may have suffered a medical emergency, causing loss of control and collision.

  • Kersti Muul May 13, 2019 (1:30 pm)

    SPD has opened 59th going down but not up. HOWEVER, SCL is now blocking with trucks. New pole has been delivered, old one is cut. They also just closed the popped fuse on the top of the hill. I would still avoid this road at all costs, people are going down and having to turn around and are being aggressive about it which is the last thing anyone needs now.

  • Erik May 13, 2019 (1:32 pm)

    The SDOT guys working in front of my house luckily were off on a coffee break or it could’ve been worse.

    • ADREANNA TAUALII May 14, 2019 (8:39 am)

      Yeah 2 of them was struck by the wires, but likely they are all ok.

  • giuseppe googatz May 13, 2019 (3:20 pm)

    i think i seen this guy on tv? he looks familiar…  sorry to hear about the injured,  hope everyone is safe! 

  • Mj May 13, 2019 (5:39 pm)

    Scary how quickly a day can be changed.  Hopefully the injured people recover quickly.

  • Nesi May 14, 2019 (8:37 am)

    Thank God our SDOT crew are okay and I pray for both drivers and hope they ok.

  • Kersti Muul May 14, 2019 (10:55 am)

    Comm company doing their thing now.

  • Mo May 15, 2019 (10:13 pm)

    Is there any information on how the injured man and woman are doing? Thank you.

    • WSB May 16, 2019 (12:56 am)

      Without names, I can’t check, but perhaps a reader knows.

Sorry, comment time is over.