The first 911 call came in at 6:03 p.m. reporting a BBQ that caught a deck on fire. Engine Company 10 arrived to the 500 block of 1st Avenue South and found smoke and flames coming from a top floor deck of the five-story condo building.

Firefighters connected to the buildings standpipe and ran hose lines into the unit. Flames were contained to the deck and adjacent walls preventing the fire from spreading to nearby units. The unit where the fire occurred also suffered smoke and water damage.
The damage estimate is $25,000 to the unit and $10,000 to the contents.

Medics transported one woman in her 60’s to Harborview Medical Center with 1st degree burns. She was in stable condition.

Medics also transported one firefighter with a minor injury who was hurt while overhauling the deck.

Firefighters are remaining on scene for a Fire Watch to ensure the charred deck does not rekindle.

“This is a chance for firefighters to meet our youngest community members and educate them on how to protect themselves and their families during a fire,” said Fire Chief Gregory Dean.

For more than a decade, Seattle firefighters have volunteered for literacy events at local branch libraries.

“The firefighter story times are among our most popular literacy programs for preschoolers,” said City Librarian Marcellus Turner. “We appreciate the firefighters volunteering their time each year to support libraries and reading. It’s a wonderful opportunity for some of our youngest patrons to learn about fire safety and the work that our brave firefighters do every day.”

Firefighters will read the book “No Dragons for Tea” to preschool children from all around the City. Through a delightful story about a little girl who invites a dragon over for tea, preschoolers learn important fire safety messages. Educating preschoolers and their families about fire safety is important, given preschoolers are especially vulnerable to fire and burn injuries.

“This is a great way to help support reading at a young age, something that we know is critical for success in school and later in life,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “For kids, firefighters are pretty cool – so it’s great that they are serving as role models for reading.”

In addition to the stories, the firefighters will also demonstrate their fire gear and give children a chance to see their fire engines.
The public is encouraged to attend these events:

Douglass-Truth Branch
2300 E. Yesler Way Thursday June 6 @ 10:30 a.m.

Delridge Branch
5423 Delridge Way S.W. Thursday June 13 @ 11:30 a.m.

Ballard Branch
5614 22nd Ave. N.W. Wednesday June 19 @10:30 am.

Beacon Hill Branch
2821 Beacon Ave. S. Thursday June 20 @ 10:30 a.m.

Central Library
1000 4th Ave Thursday June 27 @ 10:30 a.m.

Northgate Branch
10548 Fifth Ave. N.E. Thursday July 11 @ 10:30 a.m.

Broadview Branch
12755 Greenwood Ave. N. Thursday July 18 @ 10:30 a.m.

For more information call 206-386-1338 or email fireinfo@seattle.gov.

May 9- Seattle Firefighters quickly extinguished a fire at a First Hill gas station after a car collided with a fuel pump.

At 9:18 a.m. dispatchers at the Fire Alarm Center received multiple 911 calls reporting flames coming from the fuel pump at a gas station located at the corner of Terry Avenue and James Street.

Capitol Hill’s Engine Company 25 arrived first to find heavy black smoke and about eight foot flames coming from a car that had sheared off a fuel pump from its base. The driver of the car escaped the burning vehicle by exiting through his passenger door. He was uninjured.

A second car, that was parked and fueling, suffered smoke and heat damage. The driver of this vehicle was also uninjured.

After quickly noticing the flames, the clerk at the gas station hit the emergency fuel shut off valve preventing more fuel from igniting. The clerk then sprayed the fire with dry-chemical extinguishers. After arriving, firefighters quickly knocked down the flames.

The Seattle Police Department is investigating the cause of the accident.

May 1— At 11:51 p.m. Seattle Firefighters responded to a car into a freeway exit barrier at Southbound I-5 near the Tully’s building. When firefighters arrived they found multiple patients inside the car and one patient ejected from the vehicle.

Thirty four Seattle Firefighters and Paramedics responded to the scene. Ladder Company 1 extricated one trapped patient out of the back of the vehicle.

There were 7 total patients with 3 in critical condition, 3 in serious condition and 1 deceased patient.

Three Seattle Fire Medic units transported the most critically injured patients to Harborview Medical Center. 2 AMR units transported 6 patients to HMC.

Washington State Patrol is investigating.

The homeowner called 911 at 12:07 p.m. to report that the fire from his BBQ grill spread to the back deck and to the wall of his house. When firefighter arrived, the homeowner had knocked down the fire using a garden hose.

The fire was caused when radiant heat from the BBQ caught the grill cover on fire which spread to the exterior wood-shake wall of the house.

There were no reported injuries.

Every year, the Seattle Fire Department responds to fires caused by outdoor grilling. With the arrival of Spring and warming temperatures, the potential for an increase in grilling fires is much higher.

Here are some safety precautions to prevent grilling-related fires:

1) For gas grills, make certain the hose connection is tight and check the hoses for leaks. Turn the grill and fuel cylinder off immediately after grilling.

2) For charcoal grills, avoid adding lighter fluid after the coals have been lit. Always place coals in a metal container with a tight lid after they have cooled for 48 hours.

3) Never leave gas or charcoal grills unattended while cooking.

4) Always use your grill outdoors and never barbecue in an enclosed area because carbon monoxide can accumulate and be deadly.

5)Set-up your grill in an open area at least 10 feet away from buildings, overhead combustible surfaces, dry leaves and brush.

6) The Seattle Fire Department recommends the use of one-pound propane cylinders as the least hazardous fuel source for outdoor grills.

The use of barbecues in single family homes, apartments and condominiums is not regulated by current Washington State law. However, apartment building owners and condominium associations, through lease agreements and owner’s association rules, may still prohibit or restrict use of barbecues.

On Monday night the two-alarm fire significantly damaged three multiplexes in the 700 block of Warren Avenue North. Around 8:15 p.m. dispatchers at the Fire Alarm Center received multiple 911 calls reporting flames coming from a detached garage of a home with a basement. The first arriving engine company found flames shooting 40 feet into the air. The flames from the garage exposed to the house and also extended to neighboring homes on the North and South.

Officers called for a 2-11 which brought in additional resources to battle the three homes on fire. It took 90 minutes for the 78 fire personnel to completely knock down all three fires.

All of the residents safely evacuated from the two multiplexes to the North. No one was home at the residential structure to the South. The Red Cross was called to assist 10 displaced residents and one displaced resident’s dog.

Medics evaluated one resident who twisted his ankle while evacuating from the fire. Also medics examined another man, who was down the street at a tavern when the fire broke out. He suffered a minor injury to his hand while trying to fight the fire.

No firefighters were injured during the fire.

The case has been turned over to the Seattle Police Department’s Arson Bomb Squad to investigate.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m., a funeral procession begins at the Harvey Funeral Home located at 509 North 36th Street in Fremont. Engine 24 and the Seattle Police Department will escort the casket from the funeral home to Fire Station 2 located at 2320 4th Avenue. Along the procession route several Fire Engine Companies and Ladder Companies will be stationed with their emergency lights activated and the firefighters standing at attention.

Intersections where Firefighters will be staging along the procession route:

1. Fremont Avenue North and Fremont Place
2. Westbound Nickerson Street and 13th Avenue West
3. Southbound 15th Avenue West and West Galer Street
4. Southbound Elliott West and West Mercer Place
5. Fire Station 2 2340 4th Avenue.

At Noon, Engine 24, Engine 2, Battalion Chief SUV and the funeral hearse will depart Station 2 in route to the funeral. The firefighters will travel South on 4th Avenue and turn right and head West on Bell Street. Next the procession will make a left and travel South on 2nd Avenue to the Christ Our Hope Catholic Church located at 1902 2nd Avenue.

At the corner of 2nd and Virginia, Ladder Company 4 and Ladder Company 10 will cross their aerial ladders and hang a large American flag in honor of Firefighter Hernandez.

At 1 p.m. the funeral service for Firefighter Hernandez will take place at Christ Our Hope Catholic Church. The service is expected to last about 90 minutes. The family of Firefighter Hernandez has asked that the funeral remain a private ceremony for family and friends.

March 24- Seattle Firefighters rescued two people who were trapped inside an overturned SUV along 4th Avenue and Virginia Street.

At 2:19 p.m. the Fire Alarm Center received a 911 call reporting a two car motor vehicle accident with a rolled over SUV and people trapped. Engine 10 arrived first and upgraded the call to a heavy rescue due to the driver and passenger being trapped in the overturned SUV. Firefighters were able to remove the passenger side window and pull the male passenger out of the SUV which was rolled on its side on 4th Avenue.

The Technical Rescue Team, Ladder Company 7 and Aid Unit 14, along with Belltown’s Ladder Company 4 stabilized the vehicle and removed the roof of the SUV. Crews then removed the steering column which was trapping the female SUV driver. It took about 20 minutes to extricate the female driver who suffered a head wound.

Medic 1 transported the male passenger who was in his early 30′s to Harborview Medical Center in stable condition. Medic 10 transported the female driver who was in her early 30′s to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.

A third person, the driver of a blue car declined medical attention.

During the extrication process, 4th Avenue between Stewart and Virginia was shut down.

The Seattle Police Department is investigating the accident.

Photo Courtesty Fire Buff John Odegard

Photo Courtesy Fire Buff John Odegard

January 27-A Seattle Fire Investigator determined a top floor apartment fire on Capitol Hill was caused by a mattress placed against an electric baseboard heater. The electric heater ignited the mattress.
At 10:54 a.m., multiple 911 calls came into the Fire Alarm Center reporting a fire on the top floor apartment of a building in the 400 block Belmont Avenue East.

Capitol Hill Engine 25 arrived first to find light smoke coming from the a 4th floor apartment. Ladder Company 10 initiated a search and rescue operation. Firefighters found a female resident of a 4th floor apartment with singed hair and suffering from mild smoke inhalation. AMR transported the patient to Harborview Medical Center for an evaluation.

It took approximately 20 minutes to completely extinguish the flames.

The fire investigator estimates structure damage at $15,000 and content loss at $30,000.

The Seattle Fire Department’s Public Education Unit advises residents to keep all combustible materials at least a foot away from baseboard heaters. For more information on heater safety, you can click on this link.

http://www.seattle.gov/fire/pubEd/brochures/homeHeatingSafety.pdf

Link to website: http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/neighborday/

Fire Stations scheduled to be Open.

Waterfront Fire Station 5 925 Alaskan Way

Highpoint Fire Station 11 1514 SW Holden Street

Greenlake Fire Station 16 6846 Oswego Place NE

University District Fire Station 17 1050 NE 50th Street

Ballard Fire Station 18 1521 NW Market Street

Queen Anne Fire Station 20 3205 13th Avenue West

Phinney Ridge Fire Station 21 7304 Greenwood Avenue North

Roanoke Fire Station 22 901 E. Roanoke Street

Bitter Lake Fire Station 24 401 N 130th Street

Capitol Hill Fire Station 25 1300 E. Pine Street

South Park Fire Station 26 800 South Cloverdale Street

Rainier Valley Fire Station 28 5968 Rainier Avenue South

Mount Baker Fire Station 30 2931 Mount Baker Blvd S.

Northgate Fire Station 31 1319 N. Northgate Way

West Seattle Junction Fire Station 32 3715 SW Alaska Street

Rainier Beach Fire Station 33 9645 Renton Avenue South

Crown Hill Fire Station 35 8729 15th Avenue NW

West Seattle Fire Station 37 7700 35th Avenue SW

Hawthorne Hills Fire Station 38 4004 NE 55th Street

Lake City Fire Station 39 2806 NE 127th Street

Fire Station 41 2416 34th Avenue West