Fire Blotter | missing person at Snoqualmie Falls; hit and run on hydrant sends water flying; possible power line fire

August 15th

Around 3:45pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a report of a bark fire in the median of Snoqualmie Parkway. Nothing was found.


Around 6:15pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at Woodlands Apartments. The crews reset the alarm after determining that a child had pulled it.

August 16th

Around 6:20am, Snoqualmie Firefighters assisted a 60-year-old man who had fallen and needed help getting to his walker. The man was not injured.

Around 7:45am, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched to a fire alarm at
Woodland Townhomes. Nothing was found. It was likely a smoke detector sounding that had quit before crews arrived.

Around 8:50pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters observed a husband and wife heading up Snoqualmie Parkway, with the wife pushing the husband in his electric wheelchair. The crew stopped and offered assistance to the couple. There was no medical emergency, just a battery that was running low on the wheelchair and the couple needed a way to get home to pick up their wheelchair van. There were no transport vehicles available, so the crews decided to drive the wife home so she could pick up the van while the husband waited at Fisher Park. The crew then returned to the park and helped the wife with getting her husband into the wheelchair van.

August 18th

Around 5:15pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to the Tokul area for a reported illegal burn. Upon arrival, crews located a 20×20 burn pile of land clearing debris and railroad timbers soaked in creosote. The fire was unattended and did not have an immediate water source to control the fire. Crews contacted the occupant and advised them that the fire was not legal, there was a burn ban in effect, and that they needed to extinguish it completely for the night. The occupant agreed and began the process of
extinguishing the fire.

Around 6:45pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched to the corner of Maple and Newton for a reported broken fire hydrant with water flowing. According to multiple residents, the hydrant was run over by a semi-truck that didn’t stop after hitting it. Citizens were unable to get specific identifiers for the vehicle. Firefighters and Snoqualmie Public Works worked together to get the water shut off and ensure that the roadway wasn’t undermined. No houses were flooded, and the water was secured. The scene was turned over to Snoqualmie Police Department for investigation.

Around 10:40pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a report of Sky Lanterns being lit off and flown over a wooded area. Upon arrival there were no signs of lanterns in the sky and no obvious signs of fire. The caller said that there were approximately 30 lanterns in the sky, and many looked to be landing in wooded areas. He voiced concern about possible fires. The crew informed him that those lanterns are illegal and that they would continue to monitor the area for any of them being released.

August 21st

Around 12:35pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched to a report of power lines arching with flames seen on SE Fish Hatchery Rd. Upon arrival, it was found that a large branch had fallen on two lines, causing them to arch and catch the branch on fire. The branch burned through, falling to the ground and clearing the wires. No wires appeared damaged, no ground fire occurred, and the power was still on in the area.

Around 11:15pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a reported medical alarm. Upon arrival the occupant said that he did not activate his alarm and was fine. The name associated with the account was that of the neighbor. However, the neighbor no longer lives near the patient and does not have a medical alarm. No problem was found at either house.

Around 11:55pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched to a report of a water leak in yard. The water reportedly shut off when the sprinkler system shut off, lending to a possible broken sprinkler head. The crew drove through the area and found no obvious issues on public property and no water flowing from any residences.

August 22nd

Around 1:15pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a report of a smoke detector problem in a residence. The owner told them that she is disabled and can’t service her own smoke detectors, asking for help checking them. The crews found that the detectors were 22-years-old and nonfunctioning. They advised the homeowner to purchase new replacements and to call the Fire Department when they arrived for assistance installing them.

August 23rd

Around 11:35pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters investigated a reported illegal burn of trash and yard debris. Upon arrival it was noted that there was an unattended illegal burn that was still smoldering. The crew extinguished the burn but was unable to contact the homeowner.

August 24th

Around 2:30am, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to the Echo Glen Children’s Center for a reported fire alarm. Upon arrival there were no signs of fire, however the alarm was sounding, and staff could not gain access to the door of the alarm room. Firefighters forced entry at the request of staff. No problem was found and the system was unable to reset. Staff were advised to set up a 24-hour fire-watch until the alarm could be repaired.

Around 1:15pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters assisted a man complaining of back pain after a hit and run car accident in the Highlands area. Firefighters provided first aid and left the patient at the scene.

August 25th

Around 12:40pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched to the Hampton Inn for a fire alarm. The alarm turned out to be set off by steam from a shower. The room was cleared out and the alarm was reset.

At around 4:05pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the Snoqualmie Valley hospital. The alarm was set off by a nebulizer used by a patient.

August 27th

Around 11:25am, Snoqualmie Firefighters, along with other units, responded to the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital for a fire alarm called in by the alarm company. Security at the hospital advised that no fire was found and the system was reset.

Around 1:40pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched with other units to the YMCA for a reported fire alarm called in by the alarm company. Firefighters found a contractor outside who advised that they were steam-cleaning the bathrooms and the steam set off the alarm. The system was reset and turned over to the facility.

August 28th

Around 12:40pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters responded with Snoqualmie Police to the Snoqualmie Falls area for a reported missing person. No patient was located, and the scene was turned over to Search and Rescue.

Around 1:40pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters were dispatched with Snoqualmie Police Department a second time for a reported missing person— an 87-year-old woman who had been last seen at the top of the trail leading down to an observation deck several hours earlier. The woman had a history of dementia and was visiting the Falls with a group from her assisted living facility. A search ensued and Snoqualmie Police Department and PSE staff located the patient about 200 yards downstream from the lower powerhouse, stuck on some rocks. She did not appear injured or in distress, however she was confused as to how she got there and needed help getting off of the rocks. Firefighters and Police worked with the patient to slowly walk her back in from the rocks to the main trail. Once on the main trail, the patient was reevaluated and determined to be uninjured and in good spirits. She was turned over to managers from the assisted living center with aftercare instructions.

Around 3:50pm, Snoqualmie Firefighters investigated a possible appliance fire at the Snoqualmie Laundromat. A caller advised that while she was doing laundry, she saw flames in the back of one of the dryers and thought there might be a fire. When she removed her clothes, she found no obvious fire but was concerned that something had happened. The crew found no signs of fire and contacted the business owner. He advised that when the dryer is operating at times flames are visible as they are gas operated appliances. He advised that he would look into the problem.

[In addition to the above calls, Snoqualmie EMTs responded to 25 medical aid incidents bringing the total number of calls to date of 817 for 2019.]

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