READER REPORT: Explosive-throwers start fire, extinguished by neighbors

The scanner is hopping with “explosion” calls all around the peninsula. In this dry time of year, this is what can result, as just reported by Rose in Admiral:

Some jerks drove up to our traffic circle at the corner of 39th and Lander and deliberately threw a loud firework into the dry grasses, which caught fire. The flames consumed about a1/4 of the vegetation before my neighbors and I managed to put it out carrying bowls of water and a watering can because no one’s hose could reach that far. We had it out by the time the firefighters arrived (bless them). The police also arrived.

Lola July 2, 2025 (7:27 am)

We had an M-80 go off at 9:30 last Saturday night. I saw the flash in our window and the fire explosion. I hate when they just throw it out their window as they drive by.

AlkiGal July 2, 2025 (11:31 am)

I’m with you Lola – we live on Alki and there’s been weekly instances of folks tossing M-80s out of their car windows at the 4 way stop by Cactus. Just last week, they threw one in the intersection around 8pm while a poor lady and her elderly mother drove over it as it exploded and frightened the heck out of them, not to mention all of the outside diners at Cactus who then moved indoors because they were freaked out by the random bomb that someone just dropped. Typically, we’ll hear these go off once it gets dark around 10:30pm – 8pm was oddly early while there was still a lot of hustle and bustle going on.

Oakley34 July 2, 2025 (7:30 am)

Been a few years since a building caught fire…hopefully it’s at least a few more…

Lauren July 2, 2025 (8:40 am)

Tip: start wetting down your yards NOW for 4th of July. Just doing it the day of doesn’t give much water a chance to really settle in.

Northadmiral July 2, 2025 (9:10 am)

Yes!!

anonyme July 2, 2025 (9:52 am)

How ridiculous is it that law-abiding citizens who would just like to enjoy the holiday are forced to leave town, drug their pets, soak their yards, stand by with hoses and perform a myriad of other self-defense measures, just because a bunch of morons like to blow stuff up knowing full well there are zero consequences? Maybe consequences need to come from a source other than police who do nothing.

Lights, Cameras, and a Lawyer July 2, 2025 (2:38 pm)

Yup, the police won’t do anything except maybe shrug their shoulders and yet, we get told over and over to call 911. It is so frustrating!
Bill#1 July 2, 2025 (6:46 pm)

You should not be blaming “the police”!

momof3boys July 2, 2025 (2:39 pm)

I’m with you all, we really wish the idiots would stay home and not “play around” with dangerous explosives. But blaming the police “who do nothing” is so far from helpful. I used to work at 911, and believe me, they aren’t doing nothing. They’re driving from call to call where people are injured. They’re answering calls for service to domestic violence victims, strong-armed robbery victims. It’s not like they’re all sitting in the precinct. And my experience was when we were fully staffed. I can only imagine how difficult it is now for dispatchers without enough officers to respond to the calls on their screens. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough officers, never have, to respond to ALL the thousands of calls for fireworks. Illegal or not. It’s just not possible. Stay safe everyone.

Juanita July 2, 2025 (3:50 pm)

As much as I hate the fireworks here, I’m grateful we no longer live in San Jose. Fireworks started Memorial Day Weekend and continued thru Labor Day. Had to water down grasses and houses because those firework casings would come in very hot.

Burgerman July 2, 2025 (11:40 pm)

Some of these bombs are being thrown/dropped by well-known Alki locals. Not going to name names, but if you’re anywhere near where they live when they do it, it’s not hard to determine the exact location the firework bombs were dropped or thrown.