West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
If you don’t know her already – that’s Martha Mallett. She’s the Highland Park resident who along with her son survived a fire at their home last Tuesday (WSB coverage here). On Saturday, she stopped by to see neighbors Lisa and Randy Leininger, who organized a benefit to sell hot dogs and lemonade:
Tonight Lisa shared these photos along with an update on the community’s outpouring:
We had an amazing turnout for our fundraiser on Saturday. It was great to see so many of you come out to show your support for Martha and Brian. Even some of the guys from Fire Station 11 showed up! Because of all your generosity, we were able to raise $1,452 the day of and have received two more donations since then bringing the total to $2000! I know the family is overwhelmed and so grateful, as are we. I feel so fortunate to live in a community that really supports one another. Thank you and big hugs to everyone who donated.
Here’s some of Martha’s family and friends:
We had mentioned on Saturday night that Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual “Wine for Our Times” fundraiser was planning to donate raffle proceeds to Martha and Brian, since she has been their longtime “raffle queen.” One other donation – look again at the top photo – Lisa says Nicole from HPIC gave Martha the corsage to let them know they were thinking of her though she couldn’t make it to this year’s event!
(Tuesday photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Just in from Lisa, via WSB comments following our coverage of the Tuesday night fire on 20th SW:
Hi everyone, just want to get the word out that as neighbors and friends of the family, we are having a fundraiser hot dog & lemonade sale for the family this Saturday. Our front lawn at 8442 20th Ave SW, just three doors down. My husband will be grilling hot dogs from noon-5 pm for a minimum donation of $2 and my daughter will be selling lemonade for donations. We have been in contact with the granddaughter and we will be giving all monies to her to give to Martha and her son. Martha was always very involved in the community and we hope that same community will come by and show their support.
Lisa says Martha’s community involvement included being a longtime member of Highland Park Improvement Club: “We know she lost everything, so hopefully with the money we make she can go out and get some basic necessities. More than anything we want to show our support as neighbors and give back to a very wonderful person who has given so much to her community.”
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
ORIGINAL 5:29 PM REPORT: Even before seeing the 911 call, our crew saw the smoke from miles north – a house-fire call in the 8400 block of 20th SW (map). We’re on our way.
(Photo courtesy Lisa)
5:34 PM UPDATE: From the scanner – “heavy fire in the basement” of a one-story home; everybody got out of the house safely.
5:40 PM UPDATE: Our crew has arrived and is seeing the flames in the basement, plus lots of smoke, and firefighters on the roof working on ventilation. Via the scanner, we hear two more engines being requested. Adding photos as we get them.
(Photo courtesy Amber, view from the alley)
5:55 PM UPDATE: Flames have broken through the roof. We have two crews on scene.
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
SFD says its crews are in a “defensive position” on the fire now – basically, making sure it doesn’t spread, and taking precautions to ensure firefighters’ safety. The department’s public information officer and investigators are being sent now too.
(Video by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
6:09 PM UPDATE: Not out yet. Firefighters are going back into “offensive” mode, per radio traffic.
6:21 PM UPDATE: One hour after crews arrived, the fire is now deemed under control, but that doesn’t mean it’s out. They’re asking for the Red Cross to help two residents, described as a woman in her 80s and a man in his 50s. Too soon to say how the fire started. (Thanks to those who have shared photos and who texted/e-mailed to be sure we’d heard about this!)
6:33 PM UPDATE: Our crews at the scene have just talked with SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, who says the residents are an 85-year-old woman and her 59-year-old son. He was taken to the hospital with minor burns suffered while trying to put the fire out himself. (added) Here’s video of his briefing, in its entirety:
6:56 PM UPDATE: The fire is finally declared “tapped” after an hour and a half. According to Moore, crews will likely have to keep “fire watch” through much of the night, which means a crew will remain at the scene just in case of flare-ups.
9:13 PM NOTE: No word yet on the fire’s cause. In comments, Deborah says the fire survivors are her grandmother and uncle, and she is thankful to those who called 911, because her grandmother couldn’t get the call to go through when she tried.
10:27 PM UPDATE: SFD says its investigation determined that “improperly discarded smoking materials” sparked the fire; damage is estimated at $250,000. Here’s the department’s summary, via its Fire Line website.
Meantime – We have more visuals to share, both from neighbors and from our crew; click ahead if interested:Read More
A “brush fire” call this past hour at 29th and Cambridge wasn’t major – but it did bring police to Roxhill Park along with two fire engines; officers were looking for witnesses. Here’s the damaged patch:
Nobody was hurt; the fire was called in quickly enough that the fire crews made fast work of it.
3:30 AM: We’re checking out a fire call in the 5900 block of 39th SW (map) – crews originally were dispatched to an address on Fauntleroy Way, but scanner traffic has changed the location. Doesn’t sound big but they are calling for the investigator (Marshal 5). More when we get there.
3:42 AM UPDATE: At the scene, SFD tells us this was a small fire in some building materials behind what appears to be a construction/remodeling project. A neighbor who happened to be awake saw it and called it in to 911, and it was extinguished quickly. No injuries and no damage beyond the “building materials,” we’re told, but the investigator will have to figure out how it started. (Thanks to everybody who texted/e-mailed/tweeted about this!)
9:31 AM UPDATE: Just checked with Lt. Sue Stangl at SFD. Investigators couldn’t figure out exactly what started the fire, so the cause will remain officially “undetermined” – but she added that they found no evidence it was “suspicious.”
Big response, as is standard for a fire call to a multi-unit building – but what happened at California/College this afternoon was over pretty quick, we learned at the scene. Seattle Fire crews told WSB’s Christopher Boffoli that it was a small fire on an apartment balcony, believed to have been caused by a cigarette. The building’s owner, who has a business on the ground floor, tackled it with an extinguisher before fire crews arrived and finished the job. No injuries, no major damage.
(SFD units on Beach Drive – the building involved is not shown; it’s on the water side)
4:25 PM: Within minutes of the call, crews reported “tapped fire” and started dismissing some of the units that had been sent – so not a big fire, but we’ll be there soon to find out more.
4:38 PM UPDATE: Still working to find out what that small fire actually was, but one thing we can tell you: Until the remaining fire crews clear, Beach Drive is all but impassable at the scene, near Andover, about a block south of Cormorant Cove.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
4:58 PM UPDATE: Our crews at the scene have learned this started as a car fire in the garage beneath the building (which is on the water side). It was already being extinguished as fire crews arrived; some smoke got into the building above, which is being ventilated. No injuries. The car’s owner told WSB’s Christopher Boffoli she was driving it earlier today and everything seemed fine. Investigators will be checking to see how the fire started. Traffic is still blocked at that section of Beach Drive, including a southbound Route 37 bus, with most of its passengers electing to get off rather than wait.
11:08 PM: Second “fire in building” response of the day – this time, to apartments in the 5900 block of Delridge Way SW. Per the scanner, police are blocking off the street. We’re on the way to find out more.
(Photo courtesy S, shared by e-mail)
11:11 PM: “Fire’s out,” per scanner, and must have been small, since all but two units have just been canceled. We’re still en route.
11:38 PM NOTE: So small, the fire crews were gone when we got there.
1:22 PM: The fire response in the Alki area, 3300 block of 59th SW, is described as a “small fire” – but we’re en route to check it out anyway.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
1:51 PM UPDATE: Crews are already gone. WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli was there a few minutes after the call opened and says he was told it was a “small kitchen fire.”
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand, added 8:27 am)
What Seattle Fire crews are handling in the 9200 block of 17th SW right now isn’t a big fire – so far, it’s described as a chimney problem that’s mostly just filled a residence with smoke – but the scanner says 17th SW is blocked between Barton and Cambridge, so if you’re in the South Delridge area, that’s a traffic alert. We’re en route to check it out.
8:27 AM UPDATE: After checking to make sure the problem hadn’t spread, crews wrapped up, and things should be getting back to normal in the area. No injuries reported.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
6:27 PM: Thanks to everybody who sent tips about the fire callout in the Genesee area. It’s a single-family-house fire call in the 4000 block of 52nd SW (map). More shortly.
6:36 PM UPDATE: From the fire scene, Christopher Boffoli reports for WSB: SFD confirms fire tapped. No injuries. House was unoccupied at the time. No word on the cause. Fire investigators coming out. (Christopher says there was lots of smoke when he got to the scene minutes after the initial call, though.)
7:03 PM UPDATE: Investigators are on the scene and suspect the fire started in or near the washer/dryer area.
(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Most of the remaining units are being dismissed from the scene now, as operations wrap up. It was a full-size callout originally, though, as this photo shared by Gary Mullin shows:
8:28 PM UPDATE: SFD confirms an electrical malfunction in the laundry room is to blame – details here.
It’s a highlight of the City of Seattle Neighbor Appreciation Day every year – open house at local fire stations. We stopped by three West Seattle stations that welcomed visitors on Saturday. At Station 37 in Sunrise Heights, we found not only Engine 37 and crew, but also members of the West Seattle See Dogs puppy-raising club, there to help their four-legged charges get acclimated to firefighters, as WSSD’s Ruth Oldham explained. That’s Corbitt the puppy with firefighter Joe Clegg, who also entranced the young humans by demonstrating equipment including a camera:
We usually see firefighters in their full gear, as they work to put out fires, treat injured/sick people, and more, so this is also a chance to meet them face to face – like Ladder 13 driver Matt Reilly:
He was on duty at Station 11 in Highland Park during the open house. Ladder 13’s been there almost two years, but isn’t expected to be there much longer, because (as per the original announcement) it was added to cover a potential response gap caused by the lack of a westbound onramp to the Spokane Street Viaduct – and the new onramp will open this summer. Once the ladder truck has departed, we’re told, Station 11 – permanent home to Engine 11 – will get some upgrades, including earthquake-safety work (explained here).
Our final stop was Station 32 in The Junction, which is on deck for a complete rebuild in the not-too-distant future (explained here):
Station 32 is home to Ladder 11, Engine 32, and Medic 32 – plus this very shiny pole:
We had just missed the big rush of visitors, the crew told us, so we took the opportunity to peer at some of the equipment:
32, 37, and 11 are three of West Seattle’s five fire stations, along with Station 29 in North Admiral and Station 36 right by the north end of Delridge Way SW (where it meets the West Seattle Bridge).
(UPDATED THURSDAY AFTERNOON with fire cause)
(WSB reader video added 5:38 pm, courtesy Lola Peters)
5:16 PM: Fire crews have just arrived and already are saying the fire is under control. It’s in the 5600 block of Fauntleroy, near Fairmount Park. Fauntleroy is being blocked off at Findlay because of the fire units. More to come.
5:22 PM UPDATE: The response is being downgraded to what SFD calls a 2 + 1 + 1 – they’re canceling several of the units. Still avoid the area for a while. No injuries are reported.
5:38 PM UPDATE: Southbound Fauntleroy Way has just reopened.
5:55 PM UPDATE: Fire crews tell us at the scene that this started as a kitchen fire, and the flames spread to the roof. Nobody was home when it started. Investigators aren’t sure yet what caught fire in the kitchen – it’s not safe for them to go onside yet.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: From Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore:
(The fire) was caused by unattended food on the stove, according to a Seattle Fire Investigator. The kitchen fire caused an estimated $45,000 in damage to the home located in the 5600 block of Fauntleroy Way SW.
Ladder Company 11 arrived at 5:08 p.m. to find smoke coming from the roof of a locked 1-story home.
Engine Company 37 and 36 joined firefighters from Ladder 11 to perform an aggressive attack on the fire and quickly contained the flames to the kitchen area. The fire burned the kitchen cabinets and extended into the attic. The flames were completely extinguished in 10 minutes.
Firefighters remained stationed outside the home until 11 p.m. to ensure the flames did not reignite.
Firefighters are working to find out what led to a fire call in Highland Park this past hour. The original call to a home in the 8100 block of 6th SW was “fire in a single-family residence,” but WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz says there were no flames, and crews were investigating the possibility it was a small fire in a fan.
(Photo added 12:42 am, sent by neighbor ‘Bunnyfer’)
11:54 PM: Fire reported on 35th SW near Roxbury. More to come.
(Photo by Tony Bradley)
12:10 AM: The fire is reported to be under control.
12:36 AM: Christopher Boffoli‘s on the scene for WSB. (His photos are above and below this paragraph.) He says the house is single-family but is believed to be vacant (as mentioned in comments, below). Note that 35th is closed at Roxbury, if you have to drive at this hour. No word of any injuries.
12:41 AM: Christopher has spoken with Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore. He reports that Moore confirms the house was vacant, and Christopher adds this from Kyle’s briefing: “No occupants. No firefighter injuries. Engine 37 arrived to a fully involved fire in the basement area. Ladder 11 followed and ran water from an 8 inch main on 35th. They have the fire pretty much tapped now. But because the fire burned out and weakened the floor, it is too dangerous for them to go inside at this point. Kyle says they’ll probably sit on it all night just to be sure.”
1:41 AM: Added video from Christopher. Your editor here just went over to check the scene – 35th closed on the south side of Roxbury but you can turn onto Roxbury, either way. We’re adding more photos, too. The main that Kyle mentioned to Christopher – important note because of the water challenges brought to light by the August 27th fire a mile or so south – is about a block from the house that burned.
(Photo by Tony Bradley)
Here’s where the line ran from:
(Photo by Torin Record-Sand)
(The maps shown when the City Council was briefed on the August fire last month show this area is not slated for water-main upgrades since it’s close enough to one with sufficient “fire flow.” When we checked back, firefighters were still up on the roof with chainsaws, ventilating the house, and it’s still smoldering. No word on the cause, but that usually takes some hours to determine.
2:49 AM: Commenters had pointed out early on that the home was for sale. Most recently, one noted that a sale was listed as “pending.” We looked up the current ownership; the house is federally owned, following foreclosure. Meantime, we uploaded a short clip received from Benjamin, in the early moments of the fire:
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Investigators still haven’t figured out how the fire started, according to this update on the SFD website.
Friends helping organize efforts on behalf of fire victim and animal advocate Teri Ensley had promised a fundraising event as well as other ongoing efforts – and they’ve just announced the date via Facebook, as well as a request for auction donations:
There will be a mini-pub crawl next Thursday 1/19 at 7pm at the Feedback Lounge & Beveridge Place Pub. The Feedback Lounge is hosting “Teri’s House Party” and all money raised will go directly to Teri and the Beveridge Place Pub will be hosting “F4 – Furry Faces Fire Fund”, with all proceeds going to Furry Faces. There will be silent auctions at both places and we need your help! Do you have any connections for gift certificates or great prizes? Please let us know ASAP and your gift will help either Teri or Furry Faces regain what they lost in the fire.
This is via the just-set-up FB page Teri’s Fire Fund. We expect to have additional updated information later today, and will add it. If you missed earlier coverage – the fire happened this past Monday morning (WSB coverage here); no human injuries but one cat, Pouncer, died, while another, Jared, was rescued and given oxygen before going to a clinic.
ADDED 10:55 AM: The added update info, shared by Sara Riehl from Animal Aid and Rescue Foundation:
Teri has been having good days, Tammy (F3) says yesterday (Thursday) she was going well, she was focused, she knows the support she has in the community and I really think this is helping her recover from her tragedy. We have a group of her close friends checking in with her but giving her some space right now so she can process what has occurred 4 long days ago. Teri has started going through the house and figuring out what might be salvageable and what needs to be thrown out. This is a process she would like to do privately. She had said Wednesday night that she thinks she can finally admit what had happened was real, which is a positive step. But as many of you know Teri, her being focused and having a task in front of her that she is in control of will help her process what her next step in recovery will be. We will keep checking in and hopefully building on her list of what things she will need to replace.
On to other things, the stuff that everyone can help with.
All of Teri’s personal cats and foster cats have been at Lien Animal Clinic since the fire; due to the smoke they were all exposed to their throats are all sore. They also have to be kept in a warm environment, around 70 degrees, for the next 3 weeks to minimize their chance of getting pneumonia. This is very common for animals to get if they are involved in a fire. Jarred (the cat the was resuscitated by a very nice firefighter) is doing very well, he is stable, he has still not eaten but due to his very irritated throat this is not concerning to his vets. If he does not start eating by today, they will give him a feeding tube to help him until he is feeling better. Lien has really stepped up and has gone above and beyond to help Teri and her cats transition. They are constantly updating her and allow her to come and visit with the cats daily. Teri’s bill is slowly getting more and more expensive. If you would like to make a donation to help with this vet bill please call Lien Animal Hospital at: 206-932-1133 and tell them you are donating to Furry Faces Foundation.
New List of Donation Needs:
Organizational Supplies- clear bins
Label maker
Shelving
Anything organizational related
File folder
File cabinets
Air tight containers to store food in
Medical supplies for animals
Animal Vaccination suppliesTeri Personal List of Donation Needs:
Work shoes, low to no heal, comfortable casual work shoes size 7 ½ to 8, women’s
Coat hangers
Socks
More pants- she needs more dressier pants for work
Good books to read
The donation link via Facebook is here; we’re still confirming which one is the focus for non-FB’ers.
If you’re in or near Arbor Heights and wondered about the sirens – Seattle Fire sent a big response to what was reported as a garage fire on 31st near 97th (map), but canceled most of the units within minutes, declaring the fire “tapped.”
(SCROLL DOWN for updates including fire’s cause and how to help)
(Added: Firefighter Jeff Blevins with rescued cat; photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
10:41 AM: Fire units have responded to a house in the 3800 block of 46th SW – a few blocks west of California/Charlestown. First crews on scene are describing it on the scanner as a “room fire.” We’re on the way.
(Subsequent photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
10:48 AM: No report of injuries so far. Via scanner, crews say they have “knocked down” the fire, but it has “extended” – spread – into a wall, so they’re tackling that. We’ve just added a photo from our first photojournalist at the scene, Christopher Boffoli.
11:05 AM: A cat has been rescued from the house and is reported to be getting medical attention. Firefighters at the scene confirm the fire was largely confined to one room, on the second floor, but there was a lot of smoke in the rest of the house.
11:20 AM: Photo added, firefighter tending to the rescued cat. We have to disclose that we notified the homeowner, local animal advocate Teri Ensley, after recognizing the house, the scene of many fundraising plant sales she has held for Furry Faces Foundation. She is there now.
11:48 AM: We’re told the cat has been taken to a veterinarian. No word on the fire’s cause – the investigation unit, Marshal 5, was sent there, and we’re likely to have information later.
2:11 PM: We just went over to check with Teri. The rescued cat’s name is Jared, by the way. She’s found another cat who’s going to the vet to be checked out. Her house won’t be inhabitable for a while; she’s making arrangements for a place to stay and has found somewhere for the cats. We’re awaiting SFD’s official word on cause; the last fire crew was just leaving as co-publisher Patrick pulled up to follow up.
2:43 PM: The Fire Department’s account of events is up on their website. According to the update, “A Seattle Fire Investigator determined the fire was accidental. A hot plate that was left on ignited combustibles on the kitchen counter. The damage estimate is 60 thousand dollars to the structure and 10 thousand dollars to the contents.” SFD also says one 16-year-old cat didn’t make it. The update also notes that what you saw on Jared in our photo is a “specially designed pet oxygen mask” – here’s another view:
Meantime, commenters have provided info on how to help Teri and the cats; donations are being accepted at Beveridge Place Pub.
ADDED TUESDAY: Here’s a followup story with a list of what’s needed by Teri, the animals, and Furry Faces, for all those who’ve generously offered to help.
8:18 AM: More Seattle Fire units are on their way to the 8600 block of Fauntleroy right now. This started as a call about a “shed fire” and moments ago, crews on the scene called for a “full response” because it’s apparently spread to the house, as well as to a neighbor’s shed. We’ll be on scene shortly. The traffic camera above shows the emergency vehicles, just south of the south Lincoln Park parking lot.
8:33 AM UPDATE: On scene – northbound Fauntleroy Way traffic is blocked, as the “live” traffic-cam image above shows, but some southbound traffic (toward the ferry dock) is getting through. Police are there to help direct traffic. We haven’t seen damage to the house in front of the shed (seconds after we added this, the incident commander confirmed this), but the shed itself is significantly burned.
No report of injuries; investigators are on the way to figure out how it started.
8:51 AM: Traffic moving again. We’ve removed the traffic-cam image since the blockage is gone. We’ll update this later when there’s information about how the fire started; for now, we’ve added a photo from the scene (by WSB’s Patrick Sand), as well as a photo (courtesy Amy) showing the smoke, which was widely visible for a while (we even got one sighting report from Vashon, across the Sound).
9:29 AM: Added new photo atop this story – taken by Kristi while the shed was engulfed in flames.
10:59 AM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore has information on the fire’s cause and damage:
The renter of the property was not home when the fire began. A Seattle Fire Investigator determined this was an accidental fire that began from an extension cord that ran from the house to the detached shed. Several extension cords were strung together to power a portable heater inside the shed.
An SFD Investigators estimates $17,000 in total damage. The breakdown of the damage estimate is $8,000 to the shed, $5,000 to the contents of the shed and $4,000 to the exterior of the garage.
(UPDATED EDITOR’S NOTE, 12:11 PM: The archived meeting video is now available, so that’s what you’ll see if you click “play” below. We are working on the wrapup story with new information from the hearing and from followup questions afterward.)
10:20 AM: Click “play” to get the live feed from City Hall, as the City Council’s Public Safety and Education Committee is briefed on the August 27th Arbor Heights house fire near 41st/102nd, and what’s been done, and what is still to come, to fix the water-supply problems it exposed –
We have been following this story since the fire itself, including these stories:
*August 27: The fire (accidental; gutted a house and injured a firefighter)
*August 28: Fire’s cause
*August 29: ‘After-action review’ promised
*Sept. 9: Three followups
*Sept. 15: Hydrant upgrades promised
*November 4th: Hydrant upgrades almost complete
*December 5th: City Council committee briefing planned
Last night, we reviewed the documents available online for this briefing, including something new and major: A plan to upgrade water mains. Here’s our story; we will write a new one with added information after today’s briefing, and we will also make a note here when the briefing is over.
11:02 AM: It’s over. Nothing major beyond what we summarized from last night, though some additional summarizing did emerge – when the water-main upgrades are over in a year-plus, all of Arbor Heights will be within 1000 feet of an 8-inch water main, which is the minimum standard these days, and 87 percent will be within 500 feet. The review of the August fire showed that 2,000 feet of hose had to be rolled out to get to an 8-inch water main supply. More to come!
12:12 PM: The archived video is already available – so we have substituted it above. Followup story still in the works.
As we reported previously, the City Council‘s Public Safety and Education Committee is scheduled to be briefed tomorrow on the big Arbor Heights fire from last August 27th.
(WSB video from 8/27/2011)
House fires don’t usually lead to council briefings, but in this case, multiple fire hydrants near the home were unable to adequately supply firefighters, who as a result could not get a handle on it quickly. Three documents are linked from the City Council agenda tonight, looking ahead to the briefing by Seattle Fire and Public Utilities leaders. While the first two focus on the fire response and what went wrong (as well as what went right), the third lays out a schedule for proposed water-main improvements to be built next year.
The tale of what went wrong at the fire scene is complex, going beyond the water-supply problems, though they are described in detail. The hydrants nearest the home were described as “dead” and “frozen” in the first document: “A sufficient water source had still not been located 12 minutes after the first unit arrived on scene.” And then: “32 minutes into the response, despite efforts to supply them from three different directions, E32 still didn’t have a viable water supply.” It wasn’t just the hydrants – they called for the “hose wagon,” but it turned out to be unavailable; they looked for the “hydrant main map book,” but discovered it was “no longer carried on the Chiefs’ apparatus.” Finally, after laying hose all the way to 35th SW – almost half a mile of hose, says the document – “35 minutes after the first rig arrived on scene, a positive water supply was established.” Ultimately, says the second document, “105 firefighters, officers and medics” were involved in the response.
The third document outlines the water-main-improvement plan; as we have reported in followups since August, in some cases SPU was able to put larger hydrants atop water mains that could provide better pressure with better equipment, but in some cases, the water mains themselves are too small – and have been since before the city annexed the area more than half a century ago. Per the briefing document, the process for the water-main improvements will begin with a community meeting next month. We will find out more when the council committee is briefed toward the end of its 9:30 am meeting tomorrow (if you can’t go, you can watch via the Seattle Channel, cable channel 21 or seattlechannel.org online – we’ll stream it here when this agenda item comes up).
Just never know what you’ll find in a Seattle City Council committee agenda. Reading through the ones available early today for meetings coming up this week, we discovered that the council’s Public Safety and Education Committee, chaired by Councilmember Tim Burgess, 
is scheduled for an “Arbor Heights Fire Briefing” when it meets at 9:30 am this Wednesday, last item on the agenda. The scheduled briefers are Seattle Fire Department Chief Gregory Dean and Seattle Public Utilities director Ray Hoffman. This goes back to the August 27th fire that destroyed a home on 41st SW (WSB coverage here); hydrant problems hampered firefighters’ ability to make a quick full attack on the flames. The hydrants and water system are SPU’s responsibility; we have followed up with them several times since the fire. Two days afterward, they promised an “after-action review”; two weeks later, we had information about hydrant testing; then there was a promise of larger hydrants where water-main sizes permitted, and we updated the status of that work last month. (And in a side note, an SFD investigator discussed the fire at length during October’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting.)
Wednesday’s council-committee meeting is at City Hall downtown and will be live on the Seattle Channel, cable 21 or online.
12:38 PM: Traffic is blocked by fire units in the northbound lanes of Delridge near Hudson. It’s because of a fire call that started big but reportedly has turned out to be “food on the stove” – we’re still en route to the area to make sure.
1:18 PM: Still haven’t confirmed the cause of the problem – there was smoke visible in the area when we got there – but Delridge is now reopened both ways.
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