White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(WCN photos by Patrick Sand)

6:23 AM: Thanks for the tips. An early-morning fire has damaged the Locker Room Tavern at 9633 16th SW in downtown White Center. The fire callout went to two alarms because of the location, but adjacent buildings were not damaged, we were told at the scene. Nobody was hurt; oost of the damage was on the roof and in the attic, according to the public-information officer for North Highline Fire District and neighboring fire departments, Pat Pawlak (updated: here’s video of his briefing):

No indication yet how it started – fire investigators were still on the way, and engines/trucks were blocking 16th while we were there, though the fire’s out.

This was first reported just after 5 am.

2:56 PM: Fire investigator Scott Case tells WCN, “The cause of the fire was improperly discarded smoking materials in the planters along the front of the building.”

Thanks for the tip! Big callout this morning for a residential fire near 22nd SW and SW 104th. However, firefighters told us at the scene that it turned out to be a small fire, no injuries.

Big callout early this morning for a fire on 16th SW, just south of the gutted site that was Yarington’s Funeral Home. This time, the fire was in a vacant house.

Firefighters at the scene told us no one was hurt, and damage was limited to the back side of the house. We’ll be following up on the cause.

(WCN photo, last Tuesday)

We finally have followup information on last week’s fire at the Viva Mexico restaurant in White Center. As we surmised at the scene last night, it was a small fire, according to a spokesperson for the >North Highline Fire District. It started in the kitchen; when crews arrived just after 11 pm, black smoke was coming from inside, and they found the fire on a cooktop. It had melted some plastic that dripped onto a floor mat, in turn igniting a fire on that mat. But the firefighters were able to extinguish it with a small amount of water. Along with North Highline and Burien apparatus, they were assisted by Tukwila Ladder 354.

11:25 PM: 16th SW is closed at SW 106th because of a fire callout at Viva Mexico restaurant. On our way to find out more.

(WCN photo)

12:10 AM: When we got there, what had been a huge callout – more than 15 units initially – was down to just a few. No sign of smoke or flames, or exterior damage, so not a major fire. We will seek more followup info later today.

Just out of the inbox:

With dry conditions in the forecast, King County Fire Marshal Chris Ricketts has issued a Phase 1 burn ban for the unincorporated areas of King County starting today. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.

This is a Phase 1 burn ban and applies to all outdoor burning. In addition, the National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of Western Washington, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., today due to potential high wildfire conditions. During such periods recreational fires in affected areas shall be ceased.

Even when the Red Flag Warning is lifted, King County’s Phase 1 burn ban restrictions will still be in place and apply to all outdoor burning, except for small recreational fires in established fire pits at approved campgrounds or private property with the owner’s permission. Recreational fires still pose a risk, so their use shall be limited and respected accordingly. Ricketts says recreational fires must:

-Be built in a metal or concrete fire pit, such as those typically found in designated campgrounds; and not be used as debris disposal
=Grow no larger than three (3) feet in diameter
=Be located in a clear spot, free from any vegetation for at least ten (10) feet in a horizontal direction, including at least 25 feet away from any structure and allow 20-foot vertical clearance from overhanging branches
-Be attended at all times by an alert individual with equipment capable of extinguishing the fire

Ricketts added that because we are still experiencing a pandemic, residents should follow social distancing guidelines, wear face coverings, and stay six feet apart. They can also consult Public Health – Seattle & King County’s hot weather tips during a pandemic.

For properties located within cities, please contact your local jurisdiction for requirements. This ban remains in effect until further notice.

The King County Fire Marshal reminds residents that it is every individual’s responsibility to help prevent fires that destroy lives, property, and our wildland. For more information, visit the Department of Local Services Fire Marshal’s website.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

This afternoon, the former Yarington’s Funeral Home in White Center is just a burned-out shell and piles of charred debris. And a 35-year-old man is in jail, charged with setting the 2-alarm fire in the early hours of July 8th. Matthew Robert-David Hicks is charged with first-degree arson and second-degree burglary, his bail set at $200,000.

The King County Sheriff’s Office announced Hicks’ arrest today, though he has been in jail since Thursday night, two days after we broke the news that the fire was ruled arson. The charging documents say Hicks has “a lengthy history of crime”; King County Jail records show this is his sixth booking in less than a year (his record, however, appears to be mostly misdemeanors). We recognized his name because he was arrested in connection with a big White Center fire early last year, but released without charges.

The probable-cause documentation from the new charge against Hicks says he has been on investigators’ radar since the morning of this fire. An investigator who recognized him “from other fire events in the area” saw him kitty-corner from the fire scene that morning, standing near the gas station/mini-mart. The investigator says the next day, a private security guard watching the still-smoldering site told him that a woman had come by early that morning and said a man named “Matt” had been bragging about starting the fire. The investigator subsequently learned the same woman had told the same thing to firefighters at the scene the night after the fire. Soon thereafter, a sheriff’s deputy contacted the investigator, saying he was with Hicks and should come talk to him.

Though Hicks denied starting the fire, he talked with the investigator about having been in the building befooe the fire. Once the investigator was able to get onto the site, he determined those were details that only would have been known by someone who had been there. The investigator also found two places where the fire had started, neither with any potentially accidental sources of ignition.

The probable-cause narrative goes on to say that he tracked down the women who had said “Matt” was bragging about starting the fire. She said she was an acquaintance and that they both lived unsheltered. She also said “Matt” seemed to have “mental issues” and was known for talking to himself. She also said he had a street reputation for being “a pyro” and that she had witnessed this in an area park a year or two earlier, with Hicks playing with matches.

From there, the probable-cause document concludes by noting that when Hicks was arrested, he “fought with officers.” Also noted: The burned building was last appraised at more than $800,000.

Hicks is scheduled for arraignment on July 30th.

(WCN photo from last Thursday, as fire flared up for a second day)

Last week’s fire that gutted the former Yarington’s Funeral Home in White Center has been ruled arson. That’s what King County Fire District 2 Chief Mike Marrs tells WCN. The two-alarm fire drew firefighters and apparatus from multiple departments last Wednesday (WCN coverage here), and flareups brought firefighters back the next day; no one was hurt. Investigators are not commenting on anything else about the fire, except to say it’s a “very active investigation.”

(WCN photos)

7:20 AM: Thanks for the tip. Another fire at the former Yarington’s Funeral Home at 16th/107th, and this one is much bigger than the one this past spring. The online 911 log shows the first callout was at 4:30 am. We’ll be on scene shortly.

7:31 AM: Our photographer spoke to the public-information officer on scene. No injuries. But it’s a two-alarm fire and other departments are here assisting North Highline. No word on the cause.

7:59 AM: County records show the property (and a parcel immediately south, 1 1/3 acres total) sold back in January for $3.7 million to an out-of-state real-estate investment firm.

6 PM: We talked to PIO Shauna Sheppard again tonight – she said investigators haven’t been able to get in and start looking for the cause yet, because the fire isn’t entrely out. (We went by and indeed, as the photo above shows, firefighters were still putting water on the building a short time ago.)

Big response but ultimately it turned out to be a small fire at Yarington’s Funeral Home at 16th/107th this past hour. We headed there to check it out after a tip and some units were already leaving; we stopped by the North Highline Fire Station shortly thereafter and they told us it turned out to be a small fire toward the building’s rear. No injuries were reported.

(Reader photo)

3:24 PM: Thanks to Aaron for the tip. The big fire callout is for a commercial property on the west side of downtown White Center, 17th/98th.

3:58 PM: Reader photo added atop the story. The fire has gone to 2 alarms.

(WCN photos from here down)

5:26 PM: Talked with firefighters at the scene. The building is 9811 17th SW, the old Atlas Electric building, just south of the dental building; records show it was sold earlier this year. Nobody in the building when the fire started; nobody injured. The cause remains under investigation. Firefighters expect to be on scene for a w more hours.

6:50 PM: More photos:

ADDED MONDAY: The King County Sheriff’s Office tells us this fire has been ruled arson. If you have any information, call the Arson Tip Line – 800-55-ARSON.

First it was Guardian One, as tweeted below, and then TV following up:

(WCN photo, last Wednesday)

We’ve been checking on the status of the 34-year-old man arrested after last Wednesday’s big fire near 14th/107th. At his first hearing, his bail was set at $50,000. We had checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office about whether he had been charged; apparently charges were not filed today because, a check of the jail register shows that he was released from jail Monday night, with the docket notation “conditional release.”

(Thanks to Gill Loring for smoke-plume photo)

3:39 PM: All that smoke south of downtown White Center is from what started as a brush fire and has spread to a building.

It’s east of 16th SW and south of 107th. No injuries reported.

3:50 PM: Still smoky. Our crew reports that 16th SW is now closed between 110th and 112th because of the smoke.

4:13 PM: Departments from other areas responded to assist North Highline FD, including Seattle.

9:22 PM: Two updates – 16th SW had reopened by the time we checked back around dusk. Also, investigators say this was arson, and a suspect is in custody – a 34-year-old man. Three firefighters were injured in what was eventually classified as a three-alarm fire.

ORIGINAL 6:27 PM REPORT: A reader asked us about all the sirens they could hear from White Center and we subsequently found out a 2-alarm apartment fire is burning in North Burien, at Ambaum and 122nd. Even Seattle Fire has sent units for “mutual aid.” No other info so far but avoid the area!

ADDED LATE TUESDAY NIGHT: Regional media report one death in the fire. It was started by “smoking material” and considered accidental, according to investigators. 25 survivors are getting help from the Red Cross.

North Highline and other fire departments fought a house fire in the 10200 block of 28th SW this afternoon. (Thanks to everyone who texted us about this – 206-293-6302 text or voice is our 24-hour hotline.) The incident commander told us at the scene that no one was hurt and they don’t believe anyone was in the house when the fire started; they were investigating the cause.

7:29 PM: Out of power? You’re far from alone. 3,000-plus customers in White Center and south West Seattle, because of a vault fire near 22nd/Roxbury. (And Roxbury is currently blocked by the Seattle Fire response.) We’re covering the outage on partner site West Seattle Blog – go here for the latest.

8:41 PM: The City Light map shows just about everyone should be back on. If you’re not, please be sure they know – 206-684-3000.

Thanks to commenter LS for reporting that signs were up at both recently burned houses on 11th SW, declaring the fires to be arson and announcing a $10,000 reward fund.

11025 11th SW, above, is the scene of the most-recent fire – two in the same night, actually – following one at 11031 11th SW, below:

King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West tells WCN, “We suspect both are arson. The second house had a fire inside; then after it was put out, we had to go back for a fire on the deck. No suspects at this time. Of course we don’t know if the two house fires are related, but based on timeframe and locality it appears that way.” If you have any information about either or both, call the number on the signs – 800-55-ARSON.

Thanks to Syd for the tip on this – a house fire on 11th SW, south of SW 112th, is under investigation tonight, in the same block where another house caught fire days earlier. The house is vacant, and no injuries are reported. Investigators at the scene weren’t commenting on the possible cause; we’ll be following up tomorrow.

6:01 AM: The helicopter that woke many up in White Center/South Delridge about an hour ago was NOT related to last night’s Guardian One search in Top Hat – it was a TV helicopter (the one shared by KING/KOMO, according to our flight tracker) checking out an early morning truck fire that briefly brought a sizable response to 15th/98th. North Highline firefighters tell us a refrigerated truck trailer was destroyed by the fire, and are still trying to find out how it started. No injuries. Also some damage to an adjacent building, including power lines – we’ll be going back once it’s light for a closer look.

6:19 AM: Photos added.

9:58 AM: The investigation continues:

In the photo above, you can see the blackened area where the fire spread to the building by which the trailer was parked.