SFD Crews Respond to Queen Anne Vehicle Fire
Seattle Fire Department crews responded to a vehicle fire in the Queen Anne neighborhood. KOMO News reported that the incident may have also involved a crane and that firefighters were applying water and foam to the vehicle, which was leaking fuel.
- The incident began when a cherry picker, also described as a lift, made contact with overhead power lines in the 1200 block of Queen Anne Avenue North. This contact sparked a fire in the lift vehicle itself. - The vehicle fire then spread to and ignited a natural gas line located on the sidewalk directly below it, escalating the situation into a hazardous materials incident. This prompted the evacuation of a nearby apartment building after hazardous materials crews detected natural gas inside the structure. - The operator of the cherry picker was trapped for approximately two hours. Firefighters could not immediately perform a rescue because the power lines remained energized; Seattle City Light crews had to de-energize the lines before SFD could safely bring the operator down with an aerial ladder. The operator was evaluated on scene and was not injured. - This complex incident required a specialized and multi-agency response. The Seattle Fire Department deployed its energy response team for the high-voltage lines, a rescue company for the technical rescue, and a hazmat team to monitor the gas leak. They worked alongside crews from Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy. - A total of 59 firefighters and support staff responded to the scene. The fire was not fully extinguished until approximately 1:30 p.m., after Puget Sound Energy crews were able to secure the ruptured gas line. - The extensive white foam seen covering the street was a biodegradable, fire-suppressant foam. Firefighters applied it to prevent the fire from spreading via the leaking natural gas. - The initial power line contact caused a significant power outage, affecting approximately 525 Seattle City Light customers in the area.
