HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07-06 - House Fire Tukwila Fire Department
News Event for Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Time: 9:55 AM
At 12:39 am, on July 5, 2011, Tukwila Fire Department responded to a single
family dwelling house fire. Tukwila was assisted by units from King County
Fire District 20, (Skyway).
Upon arrival of our first engine, crews found a well involved van fire, parked
under a second story deck and up next to the house. Fire had spread from the
van to the exterior walls of the house and to the overhead deck. Crews were
notified by Tukwila Police that there were live fireworks still in the van.
They made a rapid attack on the van and extinguished the fire before any of
the un -used fireworks exploded. The family had been to a neighborhood
fireworks show and helped clean up the mess. They brought some of the
spent fireworks, along with some unused ones back home in the van.
Unknown to them, some of the spent shells, which were inside the van, still
had hot ambers that caught fire after they parked the van. An occupant in the
home smelled smoke and called 911.
Investigators want to remind everyone that fireworks shells can smolder for
hours after they have gone off. It is best to douse the shells in a bucket of
water to make sure they are out.
Damage to the house is estimated to be between $50,000 and $75,000.
No civilians or firefighters were injured by the fire.
American Red Cross was called to assist the family with housing for the
night.
If you should need any information regarding this incident you may reach me,
Battalion Chief Martin F. Grisham, PIO for Tukwila Fire Department.. You
can reach me at 206 971 -8740, or 206 571 -3427.
If this news release reached you in error, please contact our
office at 206 -575 -4404 so that we may correct the information
in our database.