UPDATE: Driver hits hydrant, floods Alki Avenue

(Added, reader photo)

2:31 PM: Avoid the 2200 block of Alki Avenue SW for a while. According to police/fire/dispatch communication, a driver hit a hydrant and that’s sent water over the street, taking it down to one lane. SPD is also being asked to block drivers from using Bonair to go downhill for now.

(Added, WSB photo of knocked-over hydrant)

2:36 PM: Update – SFD has asked SPD to “completely shut down Alki,” from the 1700 block.

2:57 PM: SFD also says it’s asked people to evacuate a building in the 2100 block of Bonair “as a precaution.” Radio communication suggested there’s concern about “erosion” from the rushing water (SFD is reported to have reduced the flow). We’re on our way to the area to try to find out more.

3:12 PM: SFD has closed out of the call. Ongoing communication between SPD and dispatch focuses on who’s going to clean up what an officer described as a “foot of mud … on Bonair and Alki.”

3:18 PM: Our crew just arrived and talked with SPU. Alki Avenue has reopened but Bonair is closed at Alki.

6:35 PM: We went through the area a little while ago and noticed the cleanup is well under way, with several types of city vehicles on site.

Kalo April 23, 2023 (2:47 pm)

In the off chance readers are unaware how awesome and important WSB is to this community . . . they reported about this incident at 2:31pm. Only 3 minutes before 4 SFD vehicles went flying by our home on Harbor Ave! Thank you WSB for keeping us so well informed.

Scubafrog April 23, 2023 (4:24 pm)

100% agreed!
Spencer April 24, 2023 (10:32 am)

That’s true – hats off to WSB and the invaluable service they provide to the neighborhood!

Guy Olson April 23, 2023 (2:51 pm)

Trump and Culp stickers on the back window of the vehicle

Rhonda April 23, 2023 (6:14 pm)

The driver who hit my car had Bernie Sanders and Jayapal bumper and window stickers. Your point is?
937 April 23, 2023 (6:15 pm)

Significance?
Kika April 24, 2023 (5:41 am)

That really matters to you?! Stop propaganda!

Julie April 23, 2023 (3:19 pm)

Not certain if this is related: We live in the area and have noticed the tap water turning brown. And it started right around the same time as this accident is reported. Just giving people in the area a heads up to check their water.

WSB April 23, 2023 (3:23 pm)

Yes, this is the kind of incident that will lead to brown water. But be sure to report to SPU at 206-386-1800 to be sure they have a record of it (otherwise of course they’re aware of the incident).
- John S. April 23, 2023 (10:39 pm)
  
  I’m in the 1500 block of Alki Ave, and I also have brown tap water now. I did just call SPU at 206-386-1800 to make sure they’re aware, and they said they’ve received lots of reports for this area. So they are aware. Sounds like just flushing your cold water to work it out of the system is the main approach, as expected. They did say to call back if it’s still discolored by morning.

Jason April 23, 2023 (3:34 pm)

To the guy in the blue jacket who was walking the black dog down Bonair Drive and was yelling angrily at the firefighters because they couldn’t give you an exact time the road would reopen: You’re a tool.

inquirer April 23, 2023 (4:13 pm)

I was asking them necessarily loudly from a long ways behind the yellow tape: “about how long?” Several hours was the answer then. improve your listening skills and pay closer attention for accuracy, tool fool.

Jason April 23, 2023 (5:53 pm)

That’s a lie there, my friend. I was right on the other side of the barricade you wanted to get past when you started yelling “When are you going to pull this (the barricade tape) back??” and when you didn’t like the answer they were giving you, you continued increase in volume a total of 4 times until one of the other firefighters had to come up the hill see what was going on. And then when the answer was still “We don’t know” you copped an attitude and went back up the hill. As Phil Collins would say, “I was there and I saw what you did…”
- Toomanytools April 24, 2023 (11:34 am)
  
  Something tells me this isn’t the first time Mr. Tool’s recollection of a scenario isn’t what actually happened. I have seen the smirky grin of Mr. Tool before, but he doesn’t know who I am. I hope SFD apologized for inconveniencing his walk, and offered to lend a hand for the trouble they caused him.

Scubafrog April 23, 2023 (4:16 pm)

I hope the driver’s ok, and bummer about the dog-walking-grouch. Our first-responders are the best.

rob April 23, 2023 (4:34 pm)

it’s just amazing how much water is in one of those things

Question Authority April 23, 2023 (6:29 pm)

That water honestly goes all the way back to the Cedar River Watershed, thankfully there’s a multitude of isolation structures and valves between. What’s more interesting is the fact the breakaway function didn’t work, but not all hydrants back in the day had them.
1994 April 23, 2023 (10:38 pm)

Hehe – that was a good funny!

NW April 23, 2023 (4:36 pm)

Take responsibility for the hedge bush or grass surrounding that fire hydrant close to your home.

Jort April 23, 2023 (4:38 pm)

I’m guessing it was a car driver that hit the hydrant, as I find it unlikely that a cyclist would be capable of this type of damage which is so routine in our city.

Chemist April 23, 2023 (9:51 pm)

I’m guessing it was an Amazon delivery driver that hit the hydrant, probably delivering a new ebike to someone.
Ferns April 23, 2023 (11:10 pm)

Oh my god, are you riding a bike right now as you type this thinly veiled criticism of vehicles… on streets? Duh.
Derek April 24, 2023 (3:23 am)

I live for the Jort comments . Don’t hate cuz he’s right.
my two cents April 24, 2023 (6:44 am)

Jorty – the oh so subtle post doesn’t really work for you. We are all used to lengthy diatribes about the evils of motorized vehicles, that is just YOU. Too many people will just glance over this, you need to go back to the manfesto style approach you take. You DID get me thinking though and I realized that it obviously wasn’t the result of a skateboarder or a rent a scooter.

Al King April 23, 2023 (6:05 pm)

Jort. So, how many hydrants are hit and damaged by vehicles routinely?? Would love to hear the actual numbers.

Reed April 24, 2023 (8:49 am)

Maybe not hydrants, but certainly many other things, including humans, every.single.day.

flimflam April 23, 2023 (6:19 pm)

Sending the bill(s) to the driver, yes?

KayK April 23, 2023 (6:31 pm)

Jort for the win!

Anne April 24, 2023 (7:58 am)

Wouldn’t call it a win-more of a typical Jort nonsensical car rant.
- Jort April 24, 2023 (2:13 pm)
  
  It was one sentence, and perhaps people should read it and think about how much damage car drivers cause in this city that they hand-wave away without a care. The societal costs of car-dominated planning are quite significant, and they are not inevitable. It is always remarkable the reactions (always reactions) people give to these simple observations, and how those reactions almost always involve turning the conversation into one about me, and not about the subject at hand.

Peter S. April 23, 2023 (6:44 pm)

@Guy Olson: What’s you’re point? There’s nothing in the article to explain how/why the hydrant was even hit. (Inattention, medical issue and lost control, going too fast and lost control, had to get out of the way to avoid a head-on, pedestrian, bicycle etc…) Would you be pointing out the same if the car had Biden and Bernie stickers, or are you trying to suggest that someone with those affinities is just stupid?? Heck, the car could even be stolen. Sheesh.

Guy Olson April 23, 2023 (8:19 pm)

It was a pickup truck towing a small trailer, I just found it funny and fitting that the vehicle had those supporter stickers and completely ruined an evening for a bunch of people in the neighborhood. Thank You for your reply though.
Another One April 24, 2023 (11:13 am)

Hopefully his belief in personal responsibility will lead him to ask the police, fire department, and the city for an itemized bill that he can pay to make up for his carelessness.

Admiral April 23, 2023 (7:35 pm)

I hope the errant motorist is required to pay the water bill!

Beetle April 24, 2023 (12:09 pm)

I spoke to the driver of the truck and trailer that hit the fire hydrant. She was very kind, was cooperating fully, and understood she would probably be fined for damages. It was an accident, as she didn’t see the fire hydrant within the bushes and was maneuvering a fairly big trailer. The response was very well coordinated as well.

Admiral April 24, 2023 (4:54 pm)

Beetle it’s nice to see a person step to the plate and accept responsibility for a change.

Disputable May 1, 2023 (3:34 pm)

That is going to be a pretty hefty fine that will more than likely result in the suspension of their drivers license. I know that an itemized bill of a down fire hydrant and clean up bout 7 years ago summed up to about 14,000 and with all that shrubbery and bush around it making not visible does kinda fall on the city’s hands. I would definitely dispute it.

Sorry, comment time is over.