UPDATE: Death investigation under 1st Avenue South Bridge

9:22 AM: If you noticed emergency-response activity beneath the 1st Avenue South Bridge this morning, it’s related to what Seattle Police say is now a “death investigation.” It started as a Seattle Fire water-rescue response before 7 am; SFD eventually tweeted that they were looking for a missing bridge operator, and then reported that the Coast Guard later found a body that matched the missing person’s description. We’ll be following up with agencies including WSDOT, which owns the bridge as it’s part of a state highway, and will add any more information that emerges.

9:56 AM: According to archived audio from the initial response, the operator was last seen arriving at work at 10 pm last night and discovered missing when the next person arrived at 5:30 and found the workspace empty but the person’s belongings all still there. They looked extensively around the area before calling in authorities an hour-plus later.

Rhonda June 30, 2023 (9:36 am)

Praying for the worker and their family.

Kersti Elisabeth Muul June 30, 2023 (9:42 am)

WSP had reported that a worker fell off the 1st Ave bridge

WSB June 30, 2023 (10:01 am)

According to the audio I just listened back to, they hadn’t found anyone who actually witnessed a fall. Anyway, investigators are still sorting it all out.
- Lola July 1, 2023 (6:52 am)
  
  WSB, Do you know if the camera’s on the bridge hold any footage of what may have happened? I was not sure how often they record. I am sure they are looking thru footage to see if anything might be on them. Such a sad day for my son and the other workers.
  - WSB July 1, 2023 (3:47 pm)
    
    These are WSDOT cameras, not SDOT, and I don’t know what the rules governing them are. I would expect the State Patrol has definitely explored that angle as best they can while investigating.

~Hockeywitch~ June 30, 2023 (7:26 pm)

Got really scared when I saw this this morning. My friend’s husband is a Bridge Tender on that bridge…I was thinking please don’t be him. He said this man is the guy that relieved him from duty last night. So sad… my thoughts and condolences to his family.

Lola June 30, 2023 (7:27 pm)

My son was the one who called it in after the Daytime Bridge Tender got to work and could not find the Nighttime bridge Tender. They both looked for him and saw all his stuff still there as well as his car. They called police and they decided to search the waters with boats also with the help from Coast Guard. The boats did end up finding him in the water. My son had to ID that he was the worker they were looking for. Sad day all around.

AG July 1, 2023 (3:59 pm)

Oy, Lola — I am so sorry. Be kind to your son, because that is absolutely a traumatic experience, and may his co-worker’s memory be for a blessing. Thinking of his family today.
Lola July 2, 2023 (8:18 am)

Wheeler, they could not get a hold of the wife. Not sure why? Everything I stated above is what happened. When the day bridge tender could not find him he called down to my son who was in the job trailer. My son came up they looked everywhere for him, confirmed his stuff and car was still there, called his cell phone. Finally called 911 after not finding him anywhere. His whole 8 hr shift on Friday was trying to help the police with their investigation, he even had to ID the worker once they did find him. Not something anybody wants to do. I am sorry his wife found out the way she did. Maybe they needed updated information on how to get a hold of their loved ones. My sons GF even made a point to go down and see if he needed anything as he was so upset over what had happened. I texted her to make sure he was ok, she had him call me later that day. Sad day for sure.
- WSB July 2, 2023 (12:33 pm)
  
  As for where the person’s body would be … likely the Medical Examiner’s Office, since this was an unusual case and they’d have to do a death investigation. I hope the family has checked there.
  https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/examiner.aspx
- PWA July 4, 2023 (5:49 am)
  
  Sad. Thats my daughter. They are marrying today 7/4/2023
az July 2, 2023 (8:34 pm)

it was said over the scanner audio that WSDOT contacted the family…

Sorry, comment time is over.