West Seattle, Washington
26 Friday
9:04 AM: Seattle Fire has sent a full response to what they’re reporting as a “fire in a vacant house” on 18th SW near Thistle.
9:07 AM: Arriving crews confirm it’s a “working fire.”
9:11 AM: Radio traffic indicates this house was on SFD’s radar even before this, as they’re describing it as a “derelict building” and saying the house is a “no-entry zone.” They have water on the fire from “a safe distance away from the building.”
9:14 AM: Now firefighters are going in.
9:17 AM: Our crew has arrived; adding photos. Fire is reported under control and SFD says no one’s hurt.
9:21 AM: Neighbors tell us this house has been vacant for quite a while, and that squatters are often seen coming and going.
9:32 AM: The house’s owner is on scene too and says he’s been trying to keep it locked up. Meantime, SFD has the fire out in the basement but is still working on other areas of the house.
9:43 AM: Firefighters are starting to wrap up the response (which is a gradual process).
ADDED MONDAY: So far, investigators are ruling the cause of the fire “undetermined.”
4:18 PM: Thanks for the tip! A midsize Seattle Fire callout is on scene in the 9200 block of 14th SW. Texter reports, “Fire Dept callout on 14th is a fire on the back deck. Fire escaped the grill and caught deck and nearby tree on fire.”
5:05 PM: The call is closed. We’ll follow up with SFD.
5:30 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent the photo. SFD is on scene right now, responding to that vehicle fire in the 2900 block of (corrected) Walnut. They put it out quickly, we’re told – here’s another photo:
We’re checking on injuries.
6:19 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says no one was hurt. Their investigator was not sent, so it apparently was not suspicious in orgin.
(Sunday photo courtesy Brandon Sparks)
Sometime last weekend, before Sunday’s Junction FC match, people setting off fireworks did damage to the synthetic turf at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. The field was cleared for play, but Seattle Public Schools had to fix the damage. We inquired with the district Monday morning about the damage and the repair plan, and finally received a reply this afternoon:
Seattle Public Schools aimed to prevent issues like this by activating the LED field lights (low-energy bulbs) from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. from July 3 through July 7. Despite these efforts, turf damage still occurred. Repairs to the synthetic turf at the Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex were completed on July 8. This damage did not require us to close the field or cancel events.
Our security department welcomes any tips regarding the damage. If you have information, please contact 206-252-0707.
The field is used by private groups as well as area schools. Junction FC, meantime, has the final home matches of its season on Friday and Sunday (we’ll have more on that tonight).
(Texted photo: Smoke as seen looking south from Metro bus)
4:51 PM: Thanks for the tips. If you’re seeing the smoke, SFD is arriving at what’s described as a brush fire near 1st Avenue S./East Marginal Way S. and firefighters have just told dispatch they have to block the northbound 1st Avenue S. Bridge.
(Texted photo: Smoke as seen looking northeast from Westwood)
5:03 PM: Firefighters have reported “live wires down across Marginal Way.” They’re bringing in more units to deal with this. They’re also depending on Seattle City Light to de-energize the lines.
5:13 PM: Screengrab from the East Marginal/Michigan SDOT camera a moment ago:
5:41 PM: As noted in comments, the downed wires/poles in the area have taken out power to 500+ customers, and some traffic signals – the pink areas comprise the outage zone, as shown on the Seattle City Light map:
5:48 PM: They’ve just declared that after more than an hour, the fire is under control. … Moments later, dispatch reported a call about a live wire under the bridge near Front St., so again, take great care anywhere in that area while this is still a working incident.
6:18 PM: Here’s how SFD summarizes the fire via X/Twitter: “A brush fire that extended to an RV, several semi-trucks and at least two utility poles.”
6:49 PM: Not out yet.
7:41 PM: Northbound 99 still blocked at north end of 1st Avenue S. Bridge.
8:34 PM: SFD says firefighters will likely remain at the scene for hours to come. The department’s Fireline website has more info on the firefight to this point.
2:33 AM: Road closure still in effect.
(WSB photo, Sunday morning)
Early Sunday, we reported on a house fire in Westwood. Everyone got out OK, no injuries. SFD’s investigator has determined the cause, according to spokesperson Kaila Lafferty: “Investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental, started by charcoal briquettes that fell from a barbecue and ignited the deck. The fire then spread to the back of the house and into the attic.”
(Texted photo, smoke as seen from Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex)
2:08 PM: If you’re seeing smoke – Seattle Fire units is headed to the hillside west of Home Depot, south of Sylvan Way, to check out what was initially reported as a “brush fire” but might involve an encampment.
2:13 PM: Fire command is calling for crews to run another hundred feet of hose because “this is pretty deep into the woods.”
(WSB photo)
2:28 PM: Too far into the woods for us to get a firsthand look, but firefighters’ initial assessment was that the fire covered an area roughly 25′ x 20′.
2:42 PM: Incident commander on scene confirmed to us that no one was hurt and that the fire was in the area of an encampment.
3:12 PM: Firefighters have just declared the fire “tapped” (out) and are wrapping up.
3:07 AM: Firefighters are arriving at a building fire reported in the 9000 block of 30th [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
(WSB photo)
3:12 AM: The building is a house. No report of injuries so far. This is about a block west of Westwood Village.
3:18 AM: The fire is reported to be under control.
3:25 AM: And now SFD reports the fire is out. Our crew at the scene is trying to confirm the status of any occupants. SFD said via X/Twitter that the “seat” of the fire was in the basement.
3:46 AM: SFD tells us the residents were at home and got out safely, confirming that no one is hurt. SFD’s investigator will determine what started the fire.
ADDED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: SFD tells us they’re not expecting to have info to release on the fire’s cause before Monday. Meantime, if you’re wondering about a tree/brush fire not far away and not long before this, we asked, but SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty tells us, “There is nothing in either report to indicate that the brush fire was related to the house fire.”
12:35 AM: Thanks to the texter who sent that photo of a fire on the West Seattle Stadium/Golf Course grounds. Looked big enough that it even caught a police officer’s attention from a block or so today, but SFD is on scene now and report it’s a single tree. No word how it started, but scattered fireworks usage is still happening around here and the rest of the city, dispatches indicate.
1:12 AM: The call closed a few minutes ago.
(WSB photos)
“Somebody set fire to the forts,” a little girl informed us as we photographed the blackened driftwood on the shore at Lowman Beach Park. We went there after multiple tips about fires there this morning; those aren’t allowed anywhere at this park.
The SFD log shows two calls, one at about 4:50 am, one at about 7:50 am, both categorized as “brush fire” although we didn’t see any sign of burned vegetation (SFD’s automated log has a limited number of classifications). We did see extensive driftwood damage; impossible to tell if any was from prior dates. The little girl’s mom warned her to “avoid the charcoal – the burned part.” Lowman Beach’s north side was restored to a more natural state in a project completed two years ago.
(Reader photo added, sent by Barbara)
11:58 PM: Police investigating a pickup truck missing a wheel in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue SW discovered it was on fire. SFD is arriving and they’ve now told dispatch it’s “fully involved,” so they’re blocking traffic on Alki Avenue. The person in the pickup is reported to have gotten out. Police said the truck apparently lost its wheel in the 1900 block of Harbor Avenue.
12:27 AM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent images. This short clip is from Tom:
We don’t know the status of the fire but the engine sent by SFD is logged as still being on scene.
12:33 AM: This photo is from Jim:
And according to a related text, the fire’s out.
12:53 AM: Police told dispatch they’re reopening Alki Avenue to traffic.
7:11 PM: Seattle Fire has sent a full response to Cal-Mor Circle apartments at 6420 California SW. Updates to come.
(Added: This photo and next, by Tim Durkan)
7:14 PM: SFD says the fire’s on the fourth floor.
7:18 PM: SFD says it’s a kitchen fire that may have extended further – so far they haven’t found any victims in or near the unit where it started.
(Added: WSB photo)
7:27 PM: Firefighters report the fire is out and that it did not extend beyond the unit where it started.
7:30 PM: SFD tells our crew at the scene that no one was hurt.
7:50 PM: Since it was a major response, it’ll take a while to clear out. Kelly at California/Graham says buses are queued up waiting to get through.
(Photo sent by Kelly Howard)
8:48 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’re reopening California (which has been blocked between Fauntleroy and Graham) to southbound traffic.
9:12 PM: An update from Metro indicates the street has reopened both ways.
12:27 AM: Big Seattle Fire callout is on the way to the 5000 block of 26th SW [vicinity map] for a possible house fire. Updates to come.
(Added: SFD photo)
12:31 AM: First units arriving confirm it’s a “working fire.”
12:33 AM: One person is being brought out of the house and is reported to be in need of medical treatment.
12:38 AM: Firefighters report the fire – which is apparently centered on the house’s second floor – is “knocked down.”
12:48 AM: Firefighters say the person who needs medical attention is being taken to a hospital by SFD medic unit.
12:50 AM: They’ve now declared the fire “tapped” (out).
1:49 AM: Some units are still on scene, including SFD’s investigator.\
8:40 AM: SFD says the fire victim is a 90-year-old man who was in critical condition when transported.
11:28 AM: SFD spokesperson Kristin Hanson says they also now know the cause: “The fire was ruled ‘accidental’ and was caused by overheated electrical wiring that ignited nearby combustible material.”
9:14 PM: This is happening just south of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, in the 9100 block of Fauntleroy Way – a midsize Seattle Fire response is arriving at a house where a resident has reported a carport fire.
9:23 PM: Firefighters have apparently stopped this from becoming a major fire – the precautionarily dispatched fireboat is being cleared to leave.
9:38 PM: They’re starting to dismiss other units too; meantime, the SFD investigator has been summoned to look into how the fire started.
(Added: Reader photo, sent by Patrick Brown)
8:17 PM: The first units arriving at a fire-in-building callout in the 2100 block of California SW [vicinity map] say it’s a kitchen fire.
8:20 PM: This is on the first floor of a four-story apartment building. Firefighters just told dispatch the fire is under control but very smoky.
8:24 PM: They’ve declared the fire “tapped” (out). … No injuries reported.
8:55 PM: They’re calling for Red Cross help for one woman and two pets.
8:36 PM: Seattle Fire is on the scene of what’s described as a fire in a townhouse in the 3200 block of SW Graham [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
8:39 PM: SFD says it’s a dryer fire that hasn’t spread. They’re going to start dismissing units.
8:44 PM: No injuries reported, and the big task now is ventilating the townhome to clear out the smoke.
(Added: WSB photos)
8:47 AM: Seattle Fire has a big response at a fire in the 9200 block of 18th SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
8:51 AM: SFD says the fire was largely confined to a garage, and that it’s been “knocked down”; no injuries.
8:59 AM: Firefighters have now declared the fire “tapped” (out). They’ve checked the house at the same address and say the fire did not spread.
9:18 AM: At the scene, the incident commander tells us the fire’s cause is under investigation. Meantime, SFD is calling for the Red Cross to come help two adults and a teenager affected by the fire.
(Reader photo, originally uploaded in comments below)
10:24 PM: SFD is fighting what a dispatcher described as a “large encampment fire” off Sylvan Way behind Delridge Home Depot. The response has led SPD to block Sylvan Way in both directions.
(Reader photo sent by Sam)
10:44 PM: They’ve declared the fire “tapped” (out). SFD says no one was hurt.
11:20 PM: Nearby resident Sam says Sylvan has reopened to traffic. Emergency-radio exchanges indicate the remaining unit(s) are wrapping up and preparing to leave.
4:54 PM: SFD is responding to a fire reported in the 2100 block of Halleck SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
4:57 PM: SFD says it’s a residential fire and their crews have water on it.
(Added: Reader photo)
5:04 PM: The fire is now reported “knocked down” and firefighters are searching the interior of the residence.
(Added: This photo and next by Christopher Boffoli)
5:15 PM: No one reported inside, and no injuries, per SFD.
5:57 PM: Many of the units have been dismissed; several are still on scene. The fire’s cause is under investigation.
ADDED FRIDAY: We asked SFD if the cause had been determined yet. Spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB, “Investigators ruled the fire was accidental, and likely caused by overheated electrical wiring. Estimated loss is $150,000.”
Two more porta-potty fires in West Seattle last night bring the total to at least four in just over three weeks, all in north West Seattle. Our photo above shows the aftermath of one at Admiral Way and SW Waite. We got a tip about it last night but SFD had closed out their response and left before we arrived, so we followed up on it today, and found out it was one of two in the span of an hour. SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty says the first fire last night was in the 3600 block of 44th SW around 6 pm, less than an hour before the one at Admiral and Waite, and that investigators ruled the cause of both as “undetermined.” That’s also what SFD concluded about these two we noted three weeks ago, at 51st/Dakota and along an alley in the 3400 block of California SW.
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(Photo sent by Jonathan)
8:37 AM: Thanks for the tips about the SFD response to the West Seattle Water Taxi dock at Seacrest. SFD says there were “no signs of active fire” so it reduced what was initially a large response.
(Added: Photo sent by Carolyn)
8:49 AM: All SFD units have left the scene. Metro says West Seattle Water Taxi service is canceled for the rest of the morning. The Sally Fox is still at Seacrest, its doors open.
(WSB photo)
9:05 AM: The crew won’t comment on what happened; the original dispatch was for a possible engine-room fire. We’re checking with Metro management for comment, including how this will affect service later in the day.
10:35 AM: Here’s the official statement via Metro spokesperson Elaine Porterfield:
A minor engine fire was detected and quickly extinguished at about 8 a.m. on the King County Water Taxi MV Sally Fox while at the Seacrest dock in West Seattle. Crew members quickly evacuated the one passenger on board and activated the automated fire suppression system. The fire was immediately extinguished. No injuries occurred and the Seattle Fire Department inspected the vessel and confirmed the fire was out. Four crew members were aboard.
The Port Engineer and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) will inspect the vessel. Once the vessel is cleared to depart Seacrest dock, it will be brought back to Pier 48. It is anticipated that the King County Water Taxi the MV Spirit of Kingston will be brought in to resume West Seattle midday service.
11:04 AM: Water Taxi Watch tracker shows Sally Fox has left Seacrest, headed downtown.
11:29 AM: Metro says service is resuming with the 11:30 am run from downtown to West Seattle.
11:51 AM: As noted by a commenter, service has resumed with Doc Maynard, not Spirit of Kingston, though Metro’s Porterfield tells us the vessel assignment might change later.
1:32 PM: SPD is assisting SFD with traffic control at a call in the 5200 block of California SW – a 911 caller reported a “burning smell and smoke seen in the building,” according to dispatch.
1:39 PM: Firefighters have determined it was just “smoke from a self-cleaning stove” and are ending the call.
(Reader photo)
SUNDAY REPORT: Early today, two portable restrooms were burned in fires less than a mile apart, both around 5 am. We found out about this from Greta, who lives near the one off the alley on the west side of the 3400 block of California (top photo shows the aftermath):
I’m wanting to report this to you primarily to focus on safety. There is construction happening at the home next door to us. The house is vacant and they have a Honey Bucket on site for workers. This is what was set alight. There was no lock on the door. The other fire on 51st and Dakota was also a sanican set alight. Someone is doing this in our neighborhood. Terrifying fact really.
I awoke to the noise of crackling. Then my sniffer caught the smell of the smoke. I immediately got out of bed to look out the adjoining bedroom window and there it was. A fire was burning with an unbelievable pace. The flames were at least 8ft tall. Part of the fence that was behind the Honey Bucket was already gone. Our neighbors truck with the gas tank facing the fire was parked only 2 feet from this! Incredibly it didn’t catch fire, just bubbled the paint and the plastic of the taillights. I woke my husband up immediately and called 911. The fire department was here in under 5 minutes! My husband in a flash was outside trying fast to hook back up the hose. Unfortunately from us leaving it outside there was a hole in it. We used it anyway on the fire. me holding the tightest grip over the hole, while my husband Jeff faced the flames. Very scary for what could have been an awful outcome. We are safe, the neighbors are safe, and my many thanks to our incredible Seattle firefighters. It made me quite emotional after they put the fire out and watching them drive away. Also very thankful that it started to rain. They were incredible and are incredible. I have a huge admiration for them!
So this may want to be posted for future safety in our community. There is a possible arson here. … I think it’s important to lock up these sanicans, so that this sort of thing doesn’t happen. Fires spread fast! I’m so thankful that it wasn’t next to the house!
We went out looking for the 51st/Dakota scene and found this on 51st just north of Dakota:
We have an inquiry out to SFD but haven’t heard back and at this point don’t expect to hear back until tomorrow, so we don’t have any information yet on the investigation. (There is a police report logged for the California alley fire – 24-039339.) We’ll also be asking if there’s any suspicion these are related to two fires one week ago, including one that damaged a vacant house near 36th/Oregon and was determined to have been deliberately set.
MONDAY UPDATE: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells us, “Our investigators consulted with crews that responded to both incidents and ruled the cause of both fires as undetermined.”
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