West Seattle, Washington
13 Tuesday
(WSB photo, Thursday afternoon)
Two days after another fire ravaged the shed at Longfellow Creek P-Patch, the gardeners are grateful – to the community, for donations that will enable them to keep growing in a garden that also gives back, with food-bank donations. Here’s the update from Christina:
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the West Seattle community, we now have all the tools and equipment we need for the upcoming season. West Seattle Blog readers are truly amazing! We are still accepting monetary donations to help us rebuild our shed. If readers want to help us rebuild, they can donate online at grownorthwest.org and designate that the donation is for “Longfellow Creek” P-Patch. We are also working with Seattle Police to help prevent future incidents of arson.
They’re storing tools and equipment offsite in the meantime.
1:41 AM: Another big Seattle Fire dispatch – this time headed for a report of a possible fire at Beach Drive and Jacobsen Road. Updates to come.
(Added: Video sent by Ann)
1:44 AM: First crews on scene say smoke is visible from a house.
1:51 AM: The address is now the 4700 block of Beach Drive. “Water on the fire,” a firefighter just told his colleagues and dispatch. … And a minute later, they’ve reported the fire is under control.
1:54 AM: They’ve just checked the house’s basement and report smoke and flames there.
1:59 AM: They’ve also found fire “in the walls.” No word of injuries so far.
2:12 AM: The fire’s out; no one was inside, firefighters report. If the revised address on the SFD log is correct, this is the house just south of Emma Schmitz Overlook that was the former Quesnel’s Restaurant decades ago. It’s now on the books as a duplex.
2:28 AM: Some units are being dismissed. The cause is under investigation.
2:39 AM: Beach Drive Blog‘s photo confirms it is the former Quesnel’s.
3 AM: BDB now says it’s 4701 Beach Drive, not 4703 as logged by SFD. Meanwhile, we’ve added video above, sent by Ann.
10:08 AM: SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley tells WSB, “Fire investigators ruled the fire as ‘accidental,’ caused by electrical failure/overheating involving the refrigerator power supply or refrigerator itself; ignited nearby combustibles.”
11:28 AM: SPD and SFD are investigating after another fire at the Longfellow Creek P-Patch shed at SW Thistle/25th SW. We were passing by when we saw Engine 11’s crew, and the smoke, around 10:20 am, and pulled over to see what was happening. Firefighters were extinguishing what had been major flames. This is the third fire at the shed in the past week; here’s our report from last Friday.
Even before this morning’s fire, we were planning to publish a followup today, after hearing from Christina, one of the P-Patch gardeners, who told us via email, “We lost a lot of tools and equipment in the fire and through repeated acts of vandalism and theft. We are hoping to replace that lost equipment and are looking for donations of shovels, rakes, pruners, a gas-powered lawn mower, hoses, or wheelbarrows.” She adds, “We are community gardeners and donate fresh produce regularly to the West Seattle Food Bank as well.” If you can help, donations are being coordinated by Kristin, at kadams2517@gmail.com. Meantime, we’ll be following up the the fire investigation.
ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: We still haven’t heard back from SFD regarding the fire’s cause. Since the P-Patch, while managed and gardened by community volunteers, is on city land, we asked the city Department of Neighborhoods, which manages the P-Patch program, about the situation. Here’s the response from spokesperson Sam Read:
We are devastated to hear of another fire at the Longfellow Creek P-Patch. We share in the community’s grief and frustration and our P-Patch staff are working closely with the garden community and City partners.
The shed is not considered city owned, but rather managed and funded by community with occasional support and guidance from P-Patch staff. As such, the gardeners will need to come together to fund any rebuild or repairs.
P-Patch staff are coordinating with Seattle Parks and Recreation on developing a plan to remove garbage and cut trees from the area. In addition, P-Patch staff are coordinating with Seattle Police Department around these incidents. The Southwest Precinct’s Crime Prevention Coordinator has offered to work directly with our staff to organize a personal safety training for Long Fellow Creek Gardeners if there’s a collective interest.
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: SFD tells WSB the fire”was ruled as ‘incendiary’ (intentionally set). Information was provided to the Seattle Police Department for follow-up. The shed was heavily damaged by fire, and partially collapsed.”
(Added: WSB photos)
5:33 AM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” fighting what they describe as a “working fire” in a house in the 9200 block of 25th SW, just south of Westwood Village [map]. Updates to come.
5:49 AM: Firefighters have told dispatch that one person was in the house, and they’re calling the Red Cross to provide assistance to that displaced person.
5:53 AM: Our crew just spoke with the incident commander at the scene. The fire’s out; the house was considered a “derelict building.” SW Barton is blocked nearby because of the big response; they’re expecting to remain on scene another hour or so. No injuries.
6:03 AM: City files show 14 complaints filed regarding this house in the past four years, most recently last fall, complaining about “junk” on the property.
ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB the fire’s cause remains under investigation.
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Thanks to Liz for the photos and report on a fire at the Longfellow Creek P-Patch, just east of Chief Sealth International High School. She emailed to say, “I first noticed something going on when driving east on Thistle St. around 2:30 pm. There were fire trucks and an ambulance parked on the north side of the road with lights flashing but couldn’t stop to investigate further. Then around 4pm I walked my dog through the P-Patch and took the attached photos of the damage.”
We checked with Seattle Fire, which could only tell us that a shed was damaged, and that no injuries were reported. Our later check of this week’s SFD dispatch logs shows this was the fourth day in a row that they were dispatched to that area – Thursday’s call around 4 pm was classified as an “encampment fire,” while the Wednesday response around 11:30 am was labeled a “shed fire,” and Tuesday’s response just before noon was not logged with a specific type of fire. Like other P-Patches, this one is tended by volunteers.
7:14 PM MONDAY: The Chief Sealth International High School community is mourning an educator who also served as the school’s tennis coach. 37-year-old Steadman Mathis died after an early-morning fire at his home in White Center on Sunday. Firefighters responded to the house in the 400 block of SW 108th [map] around 3:45 am on Sunday (March 6th). They quickly pulled Mr. Mathis out of the house, says Fire Chief Mike Marrs, but it was too late to save him – the King County Medical Examiner’s Office says he died of smoke inhalation. Two children in the house were rescued as well and they survived. Marrs says the fire was ruled accidental. CSIHS athletic director Ernest Policarpio remembers Mr. Mathis as “a good man.”
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: Chief Sealth principal Ray Morales sent families a note about Mr. Mathis, and we’ve obtained it from the district. From that note:
It is with profound sadness that I am sharing news of the death of a staff member from our community. Steadman Mathis tragically passed away in a house fire early Sunday morning. He supported our community in many ways, both formally and informally. He was an Instructional Assistant in the Access Program and was Chief Sealth’s Tennis Coach. He was not just an educator and a colleague but a father, a brother, a son, a nephew and more. …
… We are a community because we care about each other. In this time of sadness, our hearts and thoughts go out to Mr. Mathis’s family. As we learn of more ways to support them, we will let you know. If you have any questions, please contact the school.
The full letter also includes resources for coping with loss.
11:05 AM: If you’re hearing the sirens and/or seeing the responding units – Seattle Fire had a big response headed to Harbor Island for what dispatch describes as an engine-room fire aboard a 150′ Navy vessel. But it’s reported to be out so units are being put on standby.
11:09 AM: Firefighters on scene say this involves the littoral-combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords, whose namesake visited it at Vigor last November; the ship’s been there since June.
11:16 AM: Dispatch has been told that SFD has confirmed the fire’s out, so most of the response is being canceled.
(Image courtesy Sebastian Myrick)
The Seattle Fire Department has finally released the cause of last Saturday morning’s apartment fire near Westwood Village (WSB coverage here). The fire that injured five people was ruled accidental, SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo told WSB today. Investigators believe it was sparked by a “malfunctioning appliance.” The official damage estimate was $200,000.
10:09 AM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” arriving in the 2200 block of SW Barton [map]. Updates to come.
(Added: WSB photos)
10:12 AM: Barton is closed between Delridge and 24th SW for this response. Firefighters are telling dispatch the fire is on the building’s third floor.
10:19 AM: SFD confirms it’s a “working fire” in an apartment building and their crews have water on it. The road closure is now extending west to 25th/Barton.
10:28 AM: One person is reported injured and will be taken to Harborview. Our crew has just arrived and says people have been evacuated from the building and a Metro bus is being used for them to shelter.
10:39 AM: They’re still working to extinguish the fire and to confirm that it hasn’t spread beyond the third floor. We also just heard a mention that a cat’s been rescued. Also, our crew reports some people are getting oxygen.
10:45 AM: Fire has been declared under control.
11:01 AM: No word yet on how this started, but SFD’s investigator is on scene. SFD says at least three people have been treated for injuries. This is a 40+-unit complex built in 1968, according to property records.
11:28 AM: At the scene, SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley told us five people were hurt – including a man who jumped from a balcony just as firefighters were arriving. He did not need to be taken to the hospital. Two of the four others did. SFD is not sure yet whether anyone will be displaced beyond the resident of the unit where the fire started.
11:53 AM: The Red Cross is assisting those who need it. Meantime, we’ll be checking back periodically on the street-closure situation but continue avoiding the area as a significant SFD presence is likely to continue a while – the incident log shows more than a dozen units still on scene for this call.
12:31 PM: SFD has told dispatch they’re working with property management to determine who can return to their apartments.
1:30 PM: Roads are reopening, police have told dispatch.
2:05 PM: Per Metro alert, area buses are back to their regular routes.
2:04 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to a possible fire in the 8100 block of 15th SW [map]. First crew to arrive reports “light smoke.” Updates to come.
2:07 PM: Turned out to be another small fire, already out, and the response is being downsized.
A Seattle Fire “full response” was sent to a “fire in building” call in the 4800 block of 48th SW, but it’s quickly being downsized – pronounced “a microwave fire,” and it’s out.
(Added: WSB photo)
2:27 PM: A large “fire in building” response is arriving at 36th/Lander [map]. Updates to come.
2:31 PM: Firefighters just told dispatch the fire, in a residence, is under control.
2:34 PM: Some kind of “paper or plastic on the kitchen counter” is what was believed to be burning, firefighters reported. They’re downsizing the response. We’re en route to try to find out more in person.
2:56 PM: The incident commander told us at the scene that “malfunctioning equipment” in the kitchen is what caught fire. No one was home at the time, so no injuries. Damage was described as “minor.”
1:54 PM: Seattle Fire is arriving at a “full response” callout (updated) at a building at 3703 California SW. Updates to come.
1:56 PM: They’re sending a second alarm. Dispatchers told firefighters there had been reports of possible fire-setting related to a domestic-violence incident, and they’re sending an arson investigator.
2 PM: Northbound California is blocked at Charlestown.They’re now canceling the investigator, telling dispatch “there was no fire.” Most of the response has been canceled. We’re still heading that way to see if we can find out more at the scene. Only two units are remaining on scene.
2:15 PM: At the scene, the incident commmander confirms there was no fire, but somebody “pulled the fire alarm.” Peopl who were briefly evacuated from the building have been allowed back inside, and SFD is leaving.
9:50 PM: Big SFD callout to the 4730 California SW apartments in The Junction. They’re reporting “light smoke in the hallway” on the third floor. They’re downsizing the response – calling it a small kitchen fire.
(Added: Reader photo, texted)
10:01 PM: The incident log shows five units still on scene, a third of the number originally dispatched, so you’ll want to avoid that block of California (between Alaska and Edmunds) for a while. No report of injuries (we’ll verify that with SFD).
10:26 PM: The remaining units have been dismissed and the call is closed.
11:12 PM: Thanks to Aaron for the tip. SFD is at a call on Lincoln Park Way described as a “transformer fire,” and they’ve asked SPD to close the street to traffic.
(Added: Reader photo)
11:38 PM: SFD has closed out the call. But a texter and commenters report power’s out in the Lowman Beach area – nothing on the Seattle City Light map, though.
11:43 PM: Mapped now – 249 customers out.
1:16 AM: Still out, going on two hours.
9:29 AM: As noted in commenters, the power was restored around 6:30 am, after about seven hours.
2:29 PM: We asked SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang for more specifics on what went wrong. She explained, “Crews determined that the equipment failure [which sparked the fire] originated in the primary insulators. This can sometimes occur during wet weather.”
4:59 PM: Thanks to Shaun for the tip and photo. That car fire happened at 38th SW and SW Juneau [map] – avoid the area for a while. Seattle Fire is still there, according to the log, 15 minutes after the dispatch. No word on cause or injuries – but no medic unit has been dispatched, suggesting no major injuries.
5:40 PM: The call is now closed, meaning firefighters have left the scene. We’re following up with SFD.
Thanks for the updates from the early-morning hours:
That photo is from Kathleen, who says the midsize Seattle Fire callout at 16th/Cambridge just after 5 am was for an RV fire. No medic unit dispatched, which indicates no major injuries, but we are checking with SFD.
From Ann:
3 cars were involved in an accident on the 3000 block of SW Andover last night / early morning 4 AM -ish. The black Kia crashed through a residential fence.
Same Kia is completely blocking the sidewalk. SPD said tow trucks won’t / can’t come until conditions are better so sidewalk is completely blocked for now.
Another great grea example of why steep streets get closed under icy conditions and why it’s a good idea to heed the signs.
No SFD dispatch with this one, which indicates no injuries reported.
5:28 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to a reported fire in the 3000 block of 59th SW. Details as we get them.
5:31 PM: The dispatched address is Alki Elementary. First arriving crews aren’t seeing anything.
5:35 PM: Firefighters have determined it was just “steam from the boiler” and all but two units will be dismissed.
Someone burglarized and vandalized St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Admiral Friday evening. We learned about it late Friday after the church’s priest-in-charge, Rev. Elise Johnstone, forwarded a message she had sent to her congregation. From that message:
… Not long before 5 PM, an individual broke into our library in the office/education wing of the building, and then proceeded to set 3 small fires in the library. Providentially, a pedestrian walking on California Avenue heard the glass break and called 911. The police and fire department came, but the individual had already run away from the property by the time the police and fire department arrived. While we have sustained some damage, the situation could have been much worse. One large window in the library will need to be replaced, but a damage assessment company is on their way to SJB this evening to board up the window securely. The fires have damaged 3 places in the carpet in the library and with one of the fires, sadly, the individual lit a wooden cross and a dictionary of the Bible.
There is glass all over the library floor, so for the time being, until an industrial cleaner can come, we will keep the library closed.
The Seattle Police and Fire Department staff were all very helpful, kind, and thorough. This incident is now under investigation, and we will continue to be in communication with the appropriate people at SPD. …
We don’t have the police-report # yet but will add it when it’s available.
5:51 PM: A Seattle Fire “full response” is in the 2600 block of SW Yancy [map], fighting what’s described as a working house fire. The resident(s) are reported to have gotten out safely.
5:58 PM: SFD reports the fire is out and was contained to the house’s basement.
Thanks for sending the photos/video! (Above, from Jean; below, from Sean.) As we first reported Monday, firefighters are using the destined-for-demolition building at 3417 Harbor SW for training.
You’ll note in the clip that they’re using power tools – a common sound/sight at house fires, once the flames have reached the attic.
The site just north of the West Seattle Bridge is planned for a 115-unit apartment building.
(WSB photos)
Thanks for the tips! Lots of SFD firefighters on Harbor Avenue SW just north of the West Seattle Bridge, but it’s not an emergency – it’s “live-fire training.”
The house-turned-office building on this site is set for demolition as part of the 115-apartment project planned for the site (3417 Harbor SW, which cleared Design Review a year ago, and got land-use approval last spring). Property owners sometimes provide access to awaiting-demolition buildings for SFD. training, especially to help new recruits get experience; the department put out a call for properties earlier this year.
The crews at today’s site were too busy to offer many details but we have an inquiry out to downtown and will add any other details we get.
ADDED: SFD responded shortly after we published this. It’s set to continue tomorrow (Tuesday, December 7th) as well. And spectators are welcome as long as you stay on the sidewalk.
12:09 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to the 5100 block of SW 98th [map] for what’s described as a “fire in bathroom vent, flames showing.” Updates to come.
12:16 PM: SFD is downsizing the response.
12:21 PM: SFD says it was a “minor electrical fire” and it’s out.
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