No, that’s not a house fire – it’s training

Thanks to Howard for the tip! Seattle firefighters are back today at soon-to-be-demolished residential buildings on Fauntleroy Way SW south of The Triangle – that’s Highland Park-based Engine 11 out front as of a short time ago.

Firefighters are training – particularly in techniques such as ventilation; we heard chainsaw roaring just as we walked up for a quick pic. We’re awaiting official info from SFD but from past coverage, we’re aware of this program through which you can offer a structure for practice like this before it’s torn down.

P.S. We wrote about redevelopment plans for this site a year and a half ago.

Neighbor April 29, 2026 (11:58 am)

That house was a teardown?! From the pictures it looks charming.

WSB April 29, 2026 (12:00 pm)

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It’s one of several side by side on the west side of Fauntleroy Way in that block.
raywest April 29, 2026 (1:02 pm)

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They are charming. I’ve driven by them for many decades and am sorry to see them demolished for yet another round of ugly row houses that will be crammed into the space, eliminate green space, and just generally be charmless and cheerless.

Dr. Density April 29, 2026 (11:59 am)

I suppose this means the development is proceeding while others (ie Alki Lumber lots) have stalled. Are there site plans available for this site? Curious to see more details of what they have planned.

WSB April 29, 2026 (12:02 pm)

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See our story linked above. You can use those addresses to look up documents via Seattle Services Portal.
- Dr. Density April 29, 2026 (12:14 pm)
  
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  Thanks, found ’em. Looks like the count is slightly different from your earlier reporting now: I count 7 stand-alones and 13 duplexs for 33 total units. With a couple of points of variation it looks like the stand-alones are going to line Fauntleroy and the duplex town homes are going in back.
  - WSB April 29, 2026 (12:56 pm)
    
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    Plans do change. I started to look up the newest info a week or two ago because of no-parking signs that had me wondering if demolition was imminent, but it turned out to be utility work and I moved on to something else …
  - Bill#1 April 29, 2026 (7:20 pm)
    
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    How much parking is being provided!

Neighbor April 29, 2026 (1:12 pm)

Not sure if it’s related, but I noticed brown water about an hour ago. Just got off the phone w/ utilities and they confirmed there’s hydrant testing in the area. FYI for anyone else in the Fairmount area

JGAR April 30, 2026 (3:25 pm)

Question I have is how can they submit plans for properties a year and a half ago when several of the properties were just purchased on 4/1/2026? Would the plans actually be up to date?

WSB April 30, 2026 (4:30 pm)

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Plans are often submitted before purchases – we’ve reported on situations like that many times. (One example, the Aegis Living prospective purchase of the vacant commercial sites across California from West Seattle Nursery, which was scrapped before it went through.

Cait May 4, 2026 (9:17 am)

Wait, so it wasn’t insurance fraud? They’re completely burned down as of a few days ago. I didn’t realize the FD did live fire training like that in residential areas