Thursday July 30th was a busy day for Seattle Firefighters. Beginning shortly after 1 p.m. fire crews were dispatched to six full-response fires. Each full-response involves:
Deputy Chief
2 Battalion Chiefs
Safety Chief
Staffing Office
4 Fire Engines
2 Ladder Trucks
Aid Car
Medic unit
Air Unit
Phinney Ridge Fire
Photo Courtesy Mike Heaton
Photo Courtesy Mike Heaton
Photo Courtesy Mike Heaton
The first fire came in at 1:05 p.m. to a home located in the 100 block of NW 83rd Street. The occupant was home with his dog when workers laying insulation in the attic noticed smoke and everyone evacuated the home. When firefighters arrived they found smoke pouring from both sides of the 2-story home. The firefighters entering the home experienced high heat. Crews fought the fire from both the interior and exterior while ladder companies cut holes in the roof to vent the charged smoke from the structure. It took 40 minutes to completely extinguish the flames.
The cause was accidental, mechanical damage of electrical wiring system during the installation of insulation. The damage estimate is $70,000. There were no injuries.
The Red Cross was called to provide assistance to one adult male, one adult female and one child.
Due to temperatures reaching 90 degrees, misting fans were deployed in the firefighter rehabilitation area to cool fire crews off.
Boat Fire
At 1:30 firefighters were called to the 7300 block of 4th Avenue South to a 75 foot tug boat with a fire in the bow. Workers welding below deck ignited insulation in the boat. It took crews about 30 minutes to control the fire.
There were no injuries.
Capitol Hill Fire
At 4:15 p.m. firefighters were called to an apartment complex in the 1800 block of Broadway East. When crews arrive they found everyone had evacuated the 3-story apartment complex. Crews were able to extinguish an exterior deck fire on the second floor. The flames extended to an adjacent wall but did not make their way into the building. The cause of the fire was combustible oil left on the deck which ignited.
There were no injuries.
Central District Fire
At 4:40 p.m. multiple 911 calls came into Firefighter /Dispatchers at the Fire Alarm Center reporting flames and smoke coming from a 2-story apartment building with basement in the 5090 block of 27th Avenue in the Central District. When firefighters arrived, they found a wall of flames coming from the front of the complex. Several residents had to evacuate the complex and run through flames coming from the front porch. Several animals were trapped inside the burning structure.
The incident commander called for a second alarm bringing in nearly 80 firefighters to the scene. The extra resources were needed to rotate crews in and out of the burning building due to the hot weather.
Firefighters were able to save a Chihuahua and two cats. A third cat was missing. Fire crews found the dog and one cat in a first floor apartment. The fire investigator found the second cat hiding in the basement laundry room. Medics evaluated and treated the pets for smoke inhalation. The pets were transported to a nearby pet hospital to be checked out by veterinarians.
It took 20 minutes for fire crews to control the flames.
A fire investigator determined the cause to be accidental, the result of improperly discarded smoking materials placed in a plastic pot on the front porch of the home. The damage estimate is $255,000.
There were no injuries.
University District Fire
Photo courtesy of John Odegard
Photo courtesy of John Odegard
At 6:12 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the 5200 block of 11th Avenue NE for a back porch fire that was extending into a house. When firefighters arrived they found an enclosed back porch full involved with flames extending to their home, to their neighbor’s shed and exposing to a townhome to the south. The fire extended into the attic of the home.
All of the occupants safely evacuated.
It took fire crews 25 minutes to control the flames and 35 minutes to completely extinguish the fire.
The fire investigator determined the cause was accidental, the result of improperly discarded smoking materials in a planter pot on a wooden deck. The damage estimate is $70,000.
There were no injuries.
Ravenna Fire
Photo courtesy of John Odegard
At 7:13 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the 6500 block of Ravenna Avenue NE for reporting of black smoke coming from the roof of a 2-story building. Firefighters extinguished the flames within two minutes of arriving on scene.
There were no injuries.
The fire was caused by roofers spilling a heated bucket of tar.