West Seattle, Washington
11 Tuesday
6:02 PM: Police have told dispatch that 35th SW northbound is closed between Alaska and Avalon. A two-vehicle collision is involved but some kind of police response preceded the crash – we’re working to find out more.
6:10 PM: Thanks to Jason for the photo above. More than two vehicles appear to be involved. We’re heading to the scene to try to find out more.
(WSB photo)
6:26 PM: The juvenile driver of the black car that hit the tree is being taken to the precinct for questioning. Police at the scene told our crew that he was driving recklessly, speeding, downhill on 35th before hitting other cars. The car was not stolen. However, just after our crew left the scene, an officer told dispatch that this car matches the description of the one in which the Westwood GameStop robbery suspects are believed to have gotten away in, so they’ll be investigating that. No injuries reported at the crash scene.
7:11 PM: Police are reopening the street; the black car is being towed to SPD’s evidence-processing facility.
8:52 PM: SFD and SPD are on the way to 35th/Barton, dispatched to a crash reported to involve a “rollover.” Updates to come.
(SDOT camera images)
8:55 PM: The car is flipped, as shown on the nearest traffic camera. The response is being downsized because no one is trapped. But police are looking for someone who is reported to have walked/run away from the crash – described as a “white male, red hoodie, backpack, cowboy hat, cowboy boots.”
9:04 PM: Police have checked and so far it does NOT appear this was a stolen car. NB 35th is blocked just south of Barton, meantime.
9:38 PM: The tow truck has arrived and just turned the car over onto its wheels, so the street should be clear before too long.
9:44 PM: Officers just told dispatch the scene is clear and the street is open all ways. Apparently no luck finding the driver.
8:33 PM: Thanks for the tip. A Seattle Fire “rescue extrication” response was sent to 47th/Wildwood, near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. SFD says it’s a two-vehicle collision with one on its side.
(Added: Reader photo)
8:39 PM: SFD says everybody’s out of the vehicles. Awaiting word on injuries.
9:47 PM: SFD says two people were taken to the hospital, a 60-year-old man in serious condition and a 70-year-old man in stable condition. A 60-year-old woman had minor injuries. The scene is now clear.
11:58 PM: Police and fire are arriving at a reported flipped-car crash at California/Fauntleroy. Everybody’s reported to be out of the car, no serious injuries.
(WSB photo)
12:26 AM: This is on the southbound side of California by Morgan Junction Park. Northbound vehicles are getting by.
(Photo sent by Bryan)
12:51 AM: Officers at the scene just told dispatch that they’ll be “reopening the road shortly” and are calling for a tow for the flipped car.
ADDED MIDDAY SUNDAY: As noted in comments, two damaged cars remained parked at the crash scene this morning.
5:57 PM: Avoid the area. We’re en route to find out what happened.
6:14 PM: We are juat arriving. A reader texted this photo:
6:22 PM: The driver went into a ditch that’s been netted off as part of road work. No serious injuries, firefighters tell us – no one needed to be taken to a hospital.
7:51 PM: A texter says the car’s been pulled out, so the scene should be entirely clear shortly.
9:40 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to California/Edmunds. The report is: flames in alley, but “they’re not sure what’s on fire.” It’s on the alley east of California, west of 42nd, and reported to be in a basement, in a building described as “just behind US Bank.” Updates to come.
9:45 PM: They’re reducing the response. Apparently not a large fire. We’re on our way to find out exactly which building.
9:54 PM: Fire declared “tapped” (out). No injuries reported. SFD describes it as an exterior fire.
9:59 PM: The fire was on the back side of the Performing Arts building per the tweeted photo above.
10:04 PM: Our photographer has talked to firefighters who say it was trash burning in a dumpster.
(WSB photo)
No building damage reported. (Added) For more location context, here’s a wider shot texted to us:
That’s the US Bank lot in the left foreground, and in the semi-distance at upper right, the Edmunds/California 7-11.
ADDED 11:12 AM: Regarding cause/damage, SFD tells WSB, “Fire investigators ruled this fire as undetermined. It was a debris fire in a covered patio area next to structure. Total estimated loss is $50,000.”
4:08 PM: Thanks for the tips about an SPD/SFD response at Summit Atlas, the charter middle/high school at 35th/Roxbury. We went over to check. Police were about to leave and told us that it was only a medical response and in the end, they weren’t needed. Tweets By Beat classifies the initial call as a possible overdose. We’re checking further with SFD, as the crew on scene was busy, so we don’t know yet whether a student was involved; a medic unit was originally dispatched (along with Ladder 13, which is what you see in our photo) but was dismissed within a few minutes of arrival.
4:14 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says their crew treated a 17-year-old girl who was taken to Children’s Hospital by private ambulance. She was in stable condition when transported.
12:44 PM: Seattle Fire has a “rescue extrication” response arriving for a crash in the 4900 block of Erskine Way [map]. Updates to come.
12:48 PM: First crews on scene say it’s two vehicles, one person possibly hurt but nobody trapped, so they’re downsizing the response.
1 PM: Photo added from our crew at the scene. Police tell us the red truck, parked, was hit by the driver of the other vehicle. No injuries.
5:06 PM: What one responder described to dispatch as “a very large tree” has fallen on 35th near Avalon.
5:11 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos. 35th is closed between Avalon and Alaska because of this. Above and below are texted photos:
5:16 PM: That photo shows the location clearly – just south of the bus stop on northbound 35th. Note there’s at least one utility pole caught up in this, and responders have just warned that the railing behind the stop “might be electrified.” Also, Metro has just sent an advisory that this situation will affect C Line and Routes 21, 50, 55, and 773 (Water Taxi shuttle).
5:41 PM: That’s our crew’s view from the other side of the tree blockage. No reports of injuries. Two buses got stuck behind the tree – one marked 21, one marked “to terminal” – and they’re trying to get them out by backing up. The tree’s indeed affecting some poles/lines, but no outage is reported. Meantime, our crew also reports that traffic is snarled in the Y vicinity and elsewhere just west of 35th. If you’re headed eastbound on Alaska, you can turn to southbound 35th from there, but not northbound.
6:09 PM: No estimate on reopening.
7:54 PM: Still closed. A traffic camera is pointing southward toward the closed/blocked stretch of 35th:
8:53 PM: The SDOT camera shows activity around the tree, but otherwise the road remains closed to traffic.
9:40 PM: More crews are arriving and the tree is brightly illuminated. We’ll continue watching for progress. … A nearby resident reports hearing chainsaw activity.
10:09 PM: Two angles from people who have a view from the west side of 35th, as removal continues:
That pic is from a texter who described the tree as “monstrous” – the photo is from after at least a third of it was gone. Also, Katherine sent this video, so you can hear the operation:
11:53 PM: The tree appears to be gone but crews continue with utility work.
1:10 AM: That’s continuing, Here’s a ground-level photo that Matty contributed in the comment section:
3 AM: After 10 hours, 35th SW has just reopened – the utility crews are leaving; the signs, cones, and tapes have been removed. We’ll be following up later today on plans for ensuring there aren’t any other trees in that roadside stand in danger of falling.
2:48 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response by land and sea to Seacrest, to look into a report of people who are possibly in distress about 300 yards out. Updates to come.
2:51 PM: So far, all they’re seeing is divers – but they’re checking to be sure the divers are OK.
2:53 PM: And they’ve confirmed – it’s three people out diving and they’re fine. “False alarm,” they’ve proclaimed, and the response is being canceled.
10:29 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “rope rescue” response for what’s reported to be a “crash off the roadway” near Olson Place and 3rd SW [map]. Updates to come.
10:32 PM: First arriving firefighters say the vehicle is “30 feet down a bank” and so far it appears empty, so they’re going to have to go down and look for the occupant(s).
10:36 PM: New estimate, the car is more like 10 feet down the embankment. Still no sign of anyone. They’re downsizing the response.
10:43 PM: They’ll be blocking traffic “Olson to Roxbury” for a while, so if you’re headed that way, consider an alternate route.
Just in case you saw/heard the responding units and wondered – there was a short-lived “water rescue response” at Lincoln Park about half an hour ago. Turned out that a windsurfer reported as being in trouble, wasn’t.
4:50 PM: Another major Seattle Fire response – this time a “water-rescue response” for Alki Point. SFD dispatch is telling responders the report came in from the U.S. Coast Guard, reporting what appeared to be a person in the water hanging onto a log.
5 PM: Apparently the USCG is now saying nobody’s out there, but a rescue boat arriving in the area was going to look around just to be sure. The response overall is being canceled.
2:53 PM: SPD and SFD are on their way to a report of a vehicle into a ravine near 2nd SW and Olson Place, near Arrowhead Gardens. Updates to come.
2:56 PM: The response is being downsized. … SFD says that’s because no one was trapped after all.
3:26 PM: Our crew reports from the scene that police are blocking part of uphill Olson – as shown in our photo:
The vehicle that went into the greenbelt:
We’re told the people in the car were unhurt and are strategizing with police how to get it out,
Thanks for the tip. A texter asked about the fire-alarm response at Spruce (39th/Alaska, the building with LA Fitness). They reported smoke coming out of a vent from the underground building. Shortly after calling for a specialty unit that clears smoke, firefighters told dispatch that they’d had multiple reports of the suspected source of the smoke – drivers “drifting” in the garage.
(Added: WSB photos)
11:21 AM: An SFD water-rescue response was sent to Lincoln Park for reports of a possible paddleboarder in distress. We’re here and checking.
11:26 AM: “This is indeed a wind surfer and they are fine,” dispatch has just been told. The response is being dismissed.
10;29 PM: Seattle Fire has a “rescue response extrication” responding to a car-on-side crash in 7900 block of 32nd SW [vicinity map]. They’re trying to help a passenger get out of the car.
10:34 PM: They’ve gotten the person out of the car and are reducing the response.
10:43 PM: Thanks to Kyle for the photo. No word yet on injuries.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: SFD confirms the 39-year-old woman they evaluated reported no injuries.
(Added: Photo by DJ Sonsteng – boats involved in the response)
4:12 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response by land and sea to Alki Point, where someone is reported “in distress” in the water – someone “unable to get back on their board,” about 400 yards out, south of the lighthouse.
4:16 PM: First arriving crew told dispatch they have “eyes on the kite-surfer, who appears to be on (their) board.”
4:19 PM: They’re canceling most of the response.
9:51 PM: Police and fire crews are headed to the 4800 block of Erskine Way for what’s reported initially as an accidental shooting. Updates to come.
10:02 PM: Police report SFD medics are treating the victim, described as female.
10:18 PM: She’s being taken to Harborview Medical Center. No further information so far on the circumstances.
11:19 PM: Still awaiting an update from SFD; communication between medics and Harborview just before she was transported described her as in her mid-20s, conscious, with one gunshot wound to the chest from a 9mm handgun.
9:06 AM: SFD tells us this morning that she was in serious condition when transported.
MONDAY AFTERNOON: Police are not releasing additional details except to say no one has been arrested and that the victim was expected to survive.
5:24 PM: The big Seattle Fire response at 30th/Juneau is for a reported gas leak. Updates to come.
5:35 PM: Firefighters are checking the air in nearby residences to determine safety.
5:38 PM: They’re reducing the response to a few units, while waiting for the leak to be handled. Puget Sound Energy is on the scene.
5:42 PM: SFD reports that PSE has secured the leak.
1:56 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police are at Don Armeni Boat Ramp because of what you can barely see in this photo – a submerged vehicle. From talking to police, and from area resident Stewart L., we’re told this was a mishap with a vehicle and trailer rolling into the water in the process of launching a boat. The boat’s OK; the vehicle and trailer are submerged. A tow truck is there but the driver says he needs a different truck to make the retrieval, so that won’t be happening for a while. No injuries reported.
3:20 PM: Commenter Kalo reports the vehicle (a pickup) and trailer are now out.
4:06 PM: Thanks to K for posting that photo in a comment below.
11:41 AM: Thanks for the tip. We went to Junction TrueValue after a texter said it was unexpectedly closed for “a medical emergency.” When we got there, we found a responder from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, which handles death investigations. TrueValue staff told us that a customer came in this morning and collapsed; medics were called and tried to revive him but could not. That’s all we know so far; the store is expected to reopen at some point this afternoon.
11:55 AM: Just got word that the store has reopened.
2:40 PM: TrueValue clarifies that the person did not come into the store – he was found just outside before they opened, and they called 911; the emergency response kept them from opening until the ME responder subsequently completed their work. SFD tells us the man who died was 29 years old.
2 AM: Another crash of note – this time on West Marginal Way. Southbound lanes are blocked at Puget Way while police investigate. This originally was dispatched as another “rescue extrication” situation but that was quickly canceled. However, police described the scene to dispatch as “high-speed” because of the damage done to the vehicle. We haven’t heard yet about injuries but will follow up with SFD.
4 AM: Some traffic was being allowed through, last we heard.
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