An exterior shed fire ignited from an unknown cause in the backyard of a home in the 9400 block of 18th Avenue SW in Seattle, Washington on Sunday, January 19, 2020.
Due to the fire, a power line was downed. The power company was requested to respond to the fire ground.
Resources
Seattle Fire units A14 AIR10 B5 B7 DEP1 E26 E27 E32 E36 E37 L1 L11 M32 M44 MAR5 R1 REHAB1 SAFT2 STAF10 and E11.
Stock Photo (c) NW Fire Blog
Seattle City Light power crews.
Fire Operations
Engine 11 arrived as first due apparatus to a working fire of a 20×20 exterior shed in the backyard of a home. They immediately pulled a pre-connect and designated the incident as “18th Avenue SW Command”. (2114 PST)
Battalion asked if the response could be reduced. (2116). She arrived shortly there after. (2119)
Engine 26 provided water for Engine 11. Engine continued to run on tank water and switched over. During the fire operation, they needed to hook up to a secondary hydrant for a water supply.
Water was put on the fire on the Charlie side. The fire response was reduced to a 2. 1&1 which is two engines, a ladder company and a Battalion Chief. Engines 11 and 37, Ladder 11 and Battalion 2 remained on-scene. (2120-2121)
It was reported that this could be a possible hoarder situation, which from experience we know to be dangerous to occupants and to firefighters. The interior of the basement and floor one of the nearby residence also was checked. There were no extension, smoke or damage to the home, but also in the same alleged condition.
The fire was tapped several minutes later. (2133)
Cause
A Seattle Fire Investigator, Marshal 5 was dispatched to this call and is currently on-scene investigating the cause. There is no preliminary cause at the time of this post.
Injuries
No reports of injuries to the occupant or firefighters have occurred.
Red Cross was requested for one displaced occupant. (2155)
(c) 2020 NW Fire Blog – Posted 1/19/2020 @ 2155 hours PST
Today, we remember the four lives that were stolen from us back on January 5, 1995, when an arson fire set by Martin Pang, the son of the owners of the Mary Pang Chinese Food Company in hopes of collecting a large insurance sum of money.
Credit | US Fire Administration
A man described by his ex-wifes and former girlfriends, say his threats of violence came in the form of setting fires and they reported his intentions to the Seattle Police and Fire Departments prior to the deadly incident.
The determined cause of the fire was ruled as arson and Martin Pang, the son was charged. He would flee to Brazil knowing they have no extridite policy. After three years of diplomatic delays, he would come back to the United States and make a plea deal instead of fighting to be extridited.
In the end, he was charged with 35 years but would only serve 20 years for “good behavior”. Challenges to allow him to be released sooner than his sentence, all efforts failed and angered many.
CALL DETAILS
At 1902 hours, Seattle Fire Dispatch initially received a 9-1-1 call from a reporting party, a band member who occupied one of the rooms within an adjacent building to the Mary Pang Chinese Food Company warehouse. They reported smoke seeping into their practice room.
Courtesy | Pierce Co Firefighters
A 1st alarm or full response, as it is known today, was dispatched by the Seattle Fire Alarm Center (FAC). Five engines, two ladder trucks, one aid unit (BLS), one Medic unit (ALS), Air Support and two Command Staff were immediately deployed at 1903 PST.
They would respond to the 800 block of 7th Avenue in Seattle, Washington on January 5, 1995. This was known as the Mary Pang Chinese Food warehouse, a food-processing plant that prepared pre-made food that was distributed to area grocery stores.
This building had been operating successfully in this location for 20 years prior to this incident. It was located in the busy portion of the International District of Seattle and only a few blocks from the former Kingdome.
FIRE OPERATIONS
First due units reported a well-involved building fire and pulled a pre-connect to a nearby hydrant. Some reported fire at the rear of the structure and from a small shed, this was later identified as an employee lunchroom that had been “added on” to the structure. One of the crews initiated a forcible entry, then were tasked with raising ground ladders to proceed with Roof Operations and to cut a hole in the roof for vertical ventilation.
Fire crews were working on opposite sides of the building. Once inside, they found a few spot fires and immediately knocked them down. These were mostly near the ground floor level. Crews were working in adverse conditions that included zero visibility, having to move around equipment and stored materials blindly and very slowly. Some interior temps were reported hot enough to keep them in crouched positions but they did not distinguish as being abnormal.
Fire in some parts of the building were cool, while crews found a small fire burning in the basement of the building. Initials reports indicate they thought there were only two floors and were unaware of a basement in this building.
At some point during fire operations, the building was said to have rumbled and flames erupted from the basement as the floor began to collapse. An unanticipated flaw (one of many key issues raised by the Fire Investigative report) in the structure, caused the “pony wall” to fail which dropped the ends of the floor joists and sending sections of wood and concrete floor down into the basement. Flames then began to spread across the underside of the roof and what was on the ground floor began to catch on fire in a rapid flashover sequence.
Two Fire Lieutenants and two Firefighters also disappeared into the fire, while seven firefighters and one Lieutenant bailed out of windows and doors suffering burns to their necks, ears, wrists and one hand. No one on the outside knew what was happening on the inside.
Hot and heavy smoke began billowing out of doors and through a small hole in the roof where they ventialated the smoke. Smoking Firefighters’ PPE (Firefighters protection personal equipment) were visible as those on the outside watched the rapid events unfolding before their eyes.
1st Alarm units were aware of the arson threat but they were unaware of the multiple rennovations done on this building over its 85-year history. There were several crucial failures on this day.
THE WORST NIGHTMARE EVER
Abandon the Building tones were broadcasted over radio transmissions. The FAC notifified command that they received an emergency activation alert. It was determined that it was not coming from one but two firefighter radios. Later learned, four firefighters were found to be missing.
Credit | FEMA
Search-and-rescue missions were immediately coordinated by crews to look for the missing four and tracking their last-known-locations. Rescue efforts continued but then the risk to the rescuers would be far greater to them.
All efforts were ceased due to the amount of time missing and extreme risk to rescuers themselves. This would weigh on many firefighters then, now and most likely, in the future.
Firefighters were forced to abandon the building and return to firefighting suppression efforts, including using masterstreams to control the fire.
All four firefighters were rescued from the demolished building but it would take a total of three sombering days.
LESSONS LEARNED
A lot has changed within the City of Seattle and around the country, since this incident happened in 1995, but we can tell you that this event and what transpired still affects firefighters, both active and retired to this day. It brings tears to many and anger to others as they say this could have been easily prevented.
Since, this date – a lot has happened in the wake of this terrible tragedy.
Survivors (Firefighters Families) were awarded $450,000 – $5.6 Million in damage lawsuits against the City of Seattle. SFD, 75% liable. Martin Pang, 25% liable.
Seattle Fire has made great strides to changing their accountability, risk-management, pre-fire planning, 360* size ups of their buildings, progress reports to name just a few.
THE SEATTLE FIRE FOUR – Through the Eyes of the World
We would like to dedicate this post to the Seattle Fire Four, who lost their lives on this day in 1995. We will continue to remember your accomplishments in the living, the impacts you had on your communities and the Legacies you left us all to behold.
Today, we remember those Lost and their Legacies left behind. It is what we can only do in the present.
Credit | Seattle Fire/IAFF Local 27
SEATTLE FIRE DEATHS – Always Remember, Never Forgotten
1891 | Firefighter Herman Larson.
1899 | Fire Engineer Charles E Brabon.
1910 | Captain JN Longfellow.
1914 | Firefighter Patrick Cooper.
1917 | Battalion Chief Fred G. Gilham and Firefighter Ole G. Rust.
1920 | Firefighter Charles F. Lacasse.
1923 | Captain Horace E. Roberts.
1924 | Firefighter William E. Shuberg.
1925 | Firefighter Cecil McKenzie.
1927 | Firefighter Darwin T. Lund.
1928 | Firefighter Charles E. Wheeler.
1937 | Fire Captain Albert S. Wolpert.
1938 | Firefighter Theodore R. Cousland.
1943 | Firefighter Luther D. Bonner.
1945 | Captain Andrew G. Beattie.
1947 | Firefighter Fred O. Larson.
1949 | Firefighters Jack W. McGee and Glen S. Murphy.
1957 | Firefighter James Willey.
1964 | Firefighter John F. Herron.
1966 | Captain Harold W. Webb.
1968 | Firefighter Henry C. Gronnerud.
1976 | Firefighter Gerald Miller.
1983 | Firefighter Lisa J. LOng.
1984 | Firefighter Mary R. Mathews.
1987 | Firefighter Robert d. Earhart.
1989 | Lieutenant Mathew W. Johnson.
1991 | Firefighter Donald L. Perry.
1995 | Firefighters James T. Brown and Randall R. Terlicker. Lieutenants Walter D. Kilgore and Gregory A. Shoemaker.
1996 | Firefighter Gary V. Medica.
2004 | Deputy Chief Gerald N. Moberg.
2005 | Firefighter Nathaniel Ford.
2008 | Firefighter Timothy J. Heelan and Battalion Chief James H. Scragg.
2009 | Battalion Chief David H. Jacobs and Firefighter Stephen Lohr.
2010 | Deputy Chief Jesse F. Youngs.
2011 | Firefighter Jeffrey Brit.
2013 | Firefighter Jess Hernandez.
2014 | Firefighters Keith I. Johnson and Wallace F. Goulet.
2015 | Firefighter Joshua Milton.
2016 | Firefighters Tristan Smith, Scott Steed and Captain Craig Aman.
2018 | Firefighter Marvin Larry.
Sources: FEMA/Homeland Security, Seattle Fire, IAFF Local 27, Social Media, news media.
South Snohomish County Firefighters were dispatched at 1249 hours PST to a multi-story house fire in the 5600 block of 169th Place SE in Lynnwood, Washington on Saturday, January 4, 2020.
Credit | Andrew Kim (granted permission)
Eyewitness accounts reported the attic entirely fully engulfed with potential exposures.
Most 2nd alarm resources were quickly released shortly after their arrival.
Firefighters multiple hot spots and egressed, tapping the fire shortly thereafter arriving on-scene.
Credit | South County Fire
Primary and secondary searches of the entire structure was completed with nothing found.
Fire Investigators have not released the cause of this fire. It is still under investigation and the preliminary cause has not been released at the time of this post.
Lynnwood Police Officers provided traffic control near the fire incident, which was closed off to drivers and only open to Emergency vehicles.
No injuries to any citizens or firefighters were reported.
#LynnwoodWAFire #SouthSnoCountyFire #HouseFire
(c) 2020 NW Fire Blog – Updated 1/4/2020 – 1415 PST – Updated 1615 PST
South County Firefighters were dispatched to a multi-story house fire in the 5600 block of 169th Place SE in Lynnwood, Washington in the early afternoon on Saturday, January 4, 2020.
Credit | Andrew Kim (granted permission)
Eyewitness accounts reported the attic entirely fully engulfed with potential exposures.
A second alarm of fire personnel with additional equipment were immediately dispatched. Firefighters would quickly knock down the interior fire and work on several hot spots.
Credit | South County Fire
Primary and secondary searches of the entire structure was completed with nothing found.
Fire Investigators have not released the cause of this fire. It is still under investigation and the preliminary cause has not been released at the time of this post.
Lynnwood Police Officers provided traffic control near the fire incident, which was closed off to drivers and only open to Emergency vehicles.
No injuries to any citizens or firefighters were reported.
#LynnwoodFire #SouthCountyFire #HouseFire
(c) 2020 NW Fire Blog – Updated 1/4/2020 – 1415 PST
BURIEN, Wash. – Several adults were displaced after a fire forced them to flee their home. The incident occurred around 2051 hours PST in the 11200 block of 18th Avenue Southwest in Burien, located south of Seattle.
Firefighters were quickly on-scene from the moment they were dispatched to first due resources arriving. Within minutes, firefighters conducted a primary and secondary searches on floors one and two with reaching an “all clear” and nothing found.
Fire extended to the attic but it was quickly knocked down. A light package was set-up in front of the building. Additionally, Command had called for two ambulances to respond priority to the fire ground. Later, they appeared to be on standby with some units returning back in service.
A FIU Investigator was requested by Command, as well the Red Cross for the displaced residents.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and is still under investigation.
Injuries and the cost-to-datea are also unknown.
#BurienFire #HouseFire #FireNews
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Update 1 – 12/21/2019 – 2220 hours PST
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. – After going on a recent ride-a-long with a FTO with a local County Sheriff’s Office here in this State and observing some calls as a “rider” can only imagine how this call may home been broadcasted over the radio and how raw emotions would be spilled out into the open.
Domestic Violence Call
Per the Sheriff’s Office, this is exactly what had occurred. 9-1-1 would have received the call from the reporting party in how a young child had been assaulted by the DV suspect. Additional information sent to deputies regarding known multiple weapons known to be inside the home.
LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE
Two Deputies were dispatched to the home located in the block of 113th Street South in Parkland around 0303 hours PST. After one minute on-scene, the suspect began fighting with the both of them and not complying with their demands.
OFFICER NEEDS ASSISTANCE
Priority back-up (or Officer needs assistance) call was broadcasted over the air, to get a fast response.
At this point, it was said that the suspect was working to secure a weapon, a shotgun. The Deputies were still fighting with the suspect and it was becoming a seriously dangerous time for all those directly being assaulted by the suspect.
PCSO Deputy Cooper Dyson, 25 (#579)
Deputy Dyson called into Dispatch, he was en route to the call. Shortly, thereafter another call came into 9-1-1 around 0310 hours that a Sheriff’s Deputy patrol car had crashed into a nearby commercial building in the vicinity of the 1300 block and 112th Street East. Resources rapidly responded to the scene.
He was killed in the Line-of-Duty as he was attempting to help his fellow Officers who needed him.
Deputy Cooper was married and survived by his pregnant wife and two-year old child. He is also the son of an East Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighter.
He had been with the Department since 2018.
“This is a tremendously sad loss. Our Deputy was responding to help other Deputies in a dangerous domestic violence situation. It is another hard reminder of the dangers and difficulties our Deputies face.” – Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor
This traffic collison is the first for the department since 1941.
“We send our sincere sympathies, prayers and thoughts to Deputy Dyson’s wife, child, family; Public Safety family, friends and communities he served and protected.” – Ed.
OTHER LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS
PCSO Deputy Daniel McCartney, 34 (#484)
Credit | MCSO
In 2018, Deputy McCartney was also shot and killed during a DV call. He was with the department for three years.
He would be the fourth LODD death in 2018 with the 9th LODD for the County and 6th by gunfire. He was survived by survived by his wife and three young boys.
Deputy Kent Mundell, 44 (#423)
When a Deputy responds to a call, they never know what to expect but to be prepared for everything and anything. Sometimes circumstance are well beyond their control.
Sgt. Nick Hausner and his partner, Deputy Kent Mundell, 44 (#423) were responding to a DV call and were shot by the suspect.
Sgt Hausner survived his serious injuries he suffered, while his partner, Deputy Mundell did not and passed away. It has been almost 10 years to this day in December.
WENATCHEE, Wa. | Firefighters were deployed to various parts of Benton and Franklin Counties for multiple brush fires burning at the same time, with reports of up to five different incidents.
Some of the fires were located on Case Road, County Road 12, Roth Rock and in Prosser, Washington.
Fire crews were starting to get a handle on the wildfires. Due to multiple TAC channels owned/managed by the Lower Columbia Fire Department, we were unable to capture all of the locations and assets information.
Thank you for reading our post and following us on Twitter (@nwfireblog).
We will update as more information comes to light.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated 10/28/2019 @ 2120 PDT
STEVENS COUNTY, Wash. | A wildfire has broken out in the 4700 block of Reservation Road and off of Johnny Walker Way in Stevens County.WA DNR resources, along with local partners were dispatched on Sunday at 1038 hours PDT.
Incident Cooperators
Resources include: AA 4TS AR 29 AR 445 AR 446 AR 447 AR 450 AR 61 C 6201 E Zone 10 FB 207 FB 210 arrived on-scene around 1114 hours PDT. Additional partners include the Stevens County Fire District #1, Spokane Tribe and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.
Evacuations
Level 1 (Get Ready) evacuations are listed as notifications only. However, you should be prepared just in case you are asked to evacuate.
No word if the notices have been lifted or are still in effect.
Size Up
Acreage has increased to an estimation of 20 acres and crews have mostly stopped the forward progression of the fire.
Cause
Fire spread in to wildland interface from a structure fire. Fire crews believed the structure was an abandoned single-wide trailer.
No actual cause has been determined by Investigators.
Damages
No word on total damages to property or fire suppression and containment costs-to-date.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated on 8/18/2019 @ 1435 Hours PDT.
STEVENS COUNTY, Wash. | A wildfire has broken out in the 4700 block of Reservation Road and off of Johnny Walker Way in Stevens County.WA DNR resources, along with local partners were dispatched on Sunday at 1038 hours PDT.
Incident Cooperators
Resources include: AA 4TS AR 29 AR 445 AR 446 AR 447 AR 450 AR 61 C 6201 E Zone 10 FB 207 FB 210 arrived on-scene around 1114 hours PDT. Additional partners include the Stevens County Fire District #1, Spokane Tribe and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.
Evacuations
Level 1 (Get Ready) evacuation notices have been issued for those that reside in the following areas:
Reservation Road
Johnny Walker Way
Sanctuary Way
South Cemetery Road
Size Up
A total of 10 acres has been burned. There is no containment at this time.
Cause
The cause is unknown at this time.
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated on 8/18/2019 @ 1330 Hours PDT.
North Seattle, Washington | A kitchen fire ignited in a home located in the 9000 block of 8th Avenue NE in the Maple Leaf neighborhood near Green Lake on Saturday evening.
The house fire prompted Seattle Fire units A25, AIR10, B4, B6, DEP1, E16, E17, E21, E22, E31, L5, L8, L9, M17, M44, MAR5, REHAB1, SAFT2 and STAF10 dispatched at 2127 hours PDT.
Due to the immediate egress by firefighters, which was about ten minutes on the incident timer – they brought the fire quickly under control then tapped it shortly thereafter.
The home is currently not for sale is said to be worth around $800,000. Seattle Fire’s Investigator (Mar5) had arrived on-scene. There was no known cause at the time of this post or a preliminary amount of cost to the structure.
There were no injuries to firefighters and the Fire Department confirmed there were no occupants home at the time the fire broke out
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated on Saturday, August 17, 2019 @ 2225 hours PDT
