Thanks to a CHS reader for this picture from above the fire scene
Seattle Fire and Seattle Police responded to a fire that reportedly broke out at an\ encampment and spread to nearby trees near the downtown convention center above I-5 Friday night.
911 callers reported flames shooting into the sky and multiple explosions at 9th and Pike. According to emergency radio updates, witnesses said a tent set up below the trees on the northeast corner of the intersection above I-5 caught fire, igniting at least one of the large trees.
Arriving police reported the sound of explosions coming from inside the burning encampment.
Seattle Fire arrived within minutes and reported the fire under control.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries. We do not have information on the extent of damage to the camp or the trees.
Temperatures Friday night were in the low 40s and expected to dip into the upper 30s overnight.
A picture showing the full extent of the fire and more details from the scene was posted to Reddit:
The trees outside the Convention Center on fire.
byu/Fealieu inSeattleWA
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One of the candidates in D3 wants more encampments. Guess which one?
SowhoWant more fires?
Does she play the fiddle? She could be our Nero!
Max…. Bob’s not doing the gas lighting you are….
You are conveniently forgetting that Sawant, O’Brien and Tally-Harris proposed a bill that would have prevented the city from spending any money or time removing unauthorized encampments…. this would, in essence, sanction camping nearly anywhere in this city – oh except for school properties…. what a concession…
Like homeless people destroying our city, continue to vote Sawant. She approves too…
Sanctioned, permitted encampments as an element of a complex, multifaceted approach. Generalizing to all encampments serves your purposes in smearing a candidate working to solve problems, but your tactic just exposes how your argument is based on a fear-mongering lie. See: https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2019/09/seattle-city-council-insight-sawant-looks-to-expand-sanctioned-encampments-and-tiny-house-villages-but-faces-sepa-appeal/
This was NOT a “sanctioned, permitted” encampment. Is Sawant in favor of allowing these to continue, without intervention and clean-up?
Sawant and the rest of the city council have allowed these unsanctioned camps to remain. That is what everyone is saying. It keeps getting worse and worse with her leadership, yet you want to vote for her again, and expect different results! Don’t forget Morales and Scott. They are Sawant light! If these three are voted in, these problems will not get solved.
Bob, I refuse to be gaslighted by you. I never said this was a sanctioned, permitted encampment. Rather, that Sawant’s position includes support for sanctioned permitted encampments. So the comment I responded to that generalizes her support to all encampments (including this one that caught fire) is a lie. And if you want to know what she thinks beyond her formal position statements (as in the CHS article I linked to), ask her directly.
(putting this in the proper thread)
Max…. Bob’s not doing the gas lighting you are….
You are conveniently forgetting that Sawant, O’Brien and Tally-Harris proposed a bill that would have prevented the city from spending any money or time removing unauthorized encampments…. this would, in essence, sanction camping nearly anywhere in this city – oh except for school properties…. what a concession…
Like homeless people destroying our city, continue to vote Sawant. She approves too…
@ CD Neighbor: Thanks for pointing that out. And I would add that, recently, as part of the budget process, Sawant is trying to reduce or eliminate the funding for the Navigation Team. This would, in effect, sanction all the unsanctioned encampments, and allow them to stay as the City takes a “hands-off” approach.
Those beautiful trees, sigh.
We tried to replace the trees we planted in our parking strip over 20 years ago with healthier ones and the city arborist wouldn’t let us. Encampments can burn them down. Sigh.
As a side note, are they ever going to do something with that lot next to the Paramount? It looks horrible and is all covered in graffiti.
Can we puhlease eliminate this kind of HATE speech?! “Graffiti?!” How about, Intersectional ART!?!?!
I’m adjusting your “art” with my “felt experience,” shitbag!
Your comment is satirical, right?
This makes me feel so progressive! We must have more encampments to keep the Homeless Industrial Complex happy!