UPDATE: House fire on 25th SW

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(Added: WSB photos)

5:33 AM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” fighting what they describe as a “working fire” in a house in the 9200 block of 25th SW, just south of Westwood Village [map]. Updates to come.

5:49 AM: Firefighters have told dispatch that one person was in the house, and they’re calling the Red Cross to provide assistance to that displaced person.

5:53 AM: Our crew just spoke with the incident commander at the scene. The fire’s out; the house was considered a “derelict building.” SW Barton is blocked nearby because of the big response; they’re expecting to remain on scene another hour or so. No injuries.

6:03 AM: City files show 14 complaints filed regarding this house in the past four years, most recently last fall, complaining about “junk” on the property.

ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

John March 12, 2022 (7:26 am)

Sad and beautiful old houses like this are allowed to get in poor condition and burn

LoveWSB! March 12, 2022 (8:25 am)

It’s 5:30 am, we are torn from our slumber by whirling sirens. I grab the mobile, it scans my face, passing the scan, I’m in and taping away locating the real-time Seatlle fire dispatch page. Fire in building! 9200 25th Ave SE! So many trucks! More wiz by outside! But alas, as my curiosity peaked, and starving for even just a morsel more of information, I am left to stare at the dark ceiling with only my imagination to masticate on the details.Hold on! Wait Just one darn moment! We Live in West Seattle! We have the West Seattle Blog! I exuberantly turn to my wife, knowing in just a few short moments I will have the missing information I so desperately crave. “But it’s 5:30 am, honey. Maybe they’re asleep.” My wife mummers half asleep. Undiscouraged I surf on over to the Blog…. Nothing but yesterday’s posts. I just know, deep from the folds of my soul, it will only be a matter of time. Refresh, nothing. Refresh, nothing. Refresh… BAM! New story! Top of the page! Posted 5:33 am March 12th, 2022 of our lord and savior! No more mask mandates! Good-bye dark evenings and mornings! Big bold headlines shatter the darkness, House Fire on 25 SW. I knew it! I knew it from all my awake and half-awake cackles! I knew it from the fog of doubt rolling in from my wife’s slumbery statements. I knew the West Seattle Blog would come through once again.It’s going to be a great spring!

WSB March 12, 2022 (10:12 am)

We are usually asleep for a few hours in the early morning – between the late watch (me) and the early watch (co-publisher) but thanks (I neglected to say “thanks” earlier) to two texters, we didn’t miss too much time here. Just took a few minutes to fire up the laptop (me) and get geared up to go to the scene (co-publisher)…

KS March 12, 2022 (10:24 am)

Well, being awoken at 5:30 hearing fire trucks was not on my list of things this morning. This is the second fire in less than 4 weeks in this area. I was in a fire last year and know now how one’s life can change in a blink of an eye; I still can’t light a candle and i hate the smell of smoke to this day.  When i hear fire trucks at 5:30 it kind of freaked me out. I am Glad no one was hurt and glad that west Seattle blog is the first place i go for info in my neighborhood. I am wondering where the owner of this house is as i hear it has been boarded up and homeless living in it.

WSB March 12, 2022 (10:32 am)

Records show it is owned by an investment company. There are no redevelopment plans in the system, so far, though.

rpotsubay March 12, 2022 (10:40 am)

As someone who lives up the street from this property and has been privy to its strange and sad saga over the past few years, I am unfortunately not surprised by the outcome. It has been a dwelling regularly visited by the police, social workers, and public health officials for quite some time. About two weeks ago I noticed it had finally been vacated, but then a few days ago I saw that one of the pieces of plywood covering the front window had been removed, leaving the interior of the house completely exposed to the elements; I knew then that things would not end well. I spoke with one of the firefighters and he said people had been squatting in the basement. Who knows how the fire started, but I can think of some unsettling scenarios. It is a cool old house, and it’s too bad that it will now be certainly torn down, but I think many on our street think that it is time to start over. I’m glad no one was hurt.

J Bath March 12, 2022 (4:28 pm)

A woman named Sylvia lived there many years. She use to fill the neighborhood air with her songs on summer evenings. She gave little candies to the kids on our block when we were growing up if we knocked on her door. She did not have an easy life, but she always stopped to say something positive and then pray a blessing on me. I miss hearing her sweet voice saying, “Mija”. She had a heart of gold and is deeply missed!

rpotsubay March 12, 2022 (5:11 pm)

I know of whom you speak. She was indeed a kind woman. Did she pass away? Unfortunately, it seemed members of her family took advantage of her, using her house for illicit activities while letting it fall into severe disrepair, making it a public health hazard. Wherever she is, I hope it’s a better place. I hope that whoever owns the property next will honor her legacy and respect the culture of the neighborhood.
Auntie March 12, 2022 (5:23 pm)

What a lovely memory. When I drive through my old neighborhood on Beacon Hill, I remember the people who lived in each house when I was a kid and those memories glide me past the changes that have taken place since then – not all of them good. Heavy sigh…

DBurns March 12, 2022 (7:20 pm)

Sylvia was a neighborhood fixture; she passed away a couple years back, in her 80’s and a colorful life for sure. She lived for her boys and while it seems like there were struggles she was always positive and stopped to talk and give you a blessing no matter who you were. She walked everywhere and seemed to never get tired. She loved Orange Fanta and her church and God. Sad to see her house end up like this. I hope this will start some building action and we will see new life on the property.

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