Tag: Fire

Fire initially reported as arson allegedly set by transients living in vacant house


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | August 23, 2012

By Samantha Wohlfeil

BELLINGHAM – What initially sounded like an arson at a vacant house on Primrose Lane turned out to be a small fire set and extinguished by two transient people apparently living in the house, according to Bellingham Police.

Reports of visible flames and smoke first came across the police scanner at about 9:47 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22.

Firefighters responded, but when they tried to enter the house, a transient man tried to block the door, Bellingham Police Sgt. Shawn Aiumu said.

Officers arrived and arrested the man for obstructing law enforcement, Aiumu said.

The small fire was out by the time firefighters entered the house.

Apparently the man and a transient woman were living in the abandoned house. They had brought in a few shopping carts filled with their things, Aiumu said.

The man claimed the woman started the fire, and he put it out, but the woman claimed the man started the fire and she put it out, Aiumu said.

No serious damage was reported.
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Vehicle fire extinguished off Haxton Way


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | July 30, 2012

By Samantha Wohlfeil

Fire crews were able to put out a Chevrolet Caprice that caught fire Monday morning, July 30 at Haxton Way and Kwina Road.

The fire was caused by a vehicle malfunction, said Chief Dean Whitney of Whatcom County Fire District No. 8. The driver was not injured, but the car was totaled.

The driver reported that smoke started coming out through vents in the dash before the fire, Whitney said.

Via scanner traffic: About 8:10 a.m. Monday, crews were dispatched to reports of a vehicle on fire in a field off Haxton Way at Kwina Road. Reports of traffic backing up on Kwina Road.

Reports the fire was nearly extinguished were made about 8:19 a.m.

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Possible fire at Lake Samish house turns out to be smoky pizza cooker


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | July 6, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via police scanner traffic:

A 911 caller on the west side of Lake Samish reported seeing smoke rising from a window at a home on the opposite shore early Friday, July 6.

About a half dozen fire trucks responded at 8 a.m. to a brown house with white trim at 563 Cedar Acres Street.

Firefighters arriving at the scene confirmed there was smoke — rising from a pizza cooker on a deck — but no fire.


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Wednesday morning police scanner chatter


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | June 27, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via scanner traffic:

7:20 a.m. Two-car crash at East Main and Shuksan streets. One driver fled the scene; the other was a 20-year-old woman with arm and chest pain, possibly from an airbag deploying. She declined medical aid. Didn’t hear an update on the other driver.

8 a.m. Troopers were helping to clear mattresses from Interstate 5, near the Meridian Street exit.

8:15 a.m. Report of a fire inside a home at 154 E. Wiser Lake Road. A few minutes later dispatchers updated firefighters responding to the scene: The had been extinguished.

8:30 a.m. Dump truck and semi truck collision at Hannegan Road and Sunset Drive. No request for medical aid. Traffic was slowed but still able to get through.

9:15 a.m. Fire District 14 responding to smoke and flames in home in 6100 block of Poppy Court. We have a call out to the chief, seeking an update.

10:10 a.m. Somebody suffered a knee injury on the trails around Lake Padden, near the dog park. Fifteen minutes later, additional manpower was requested.

10:15 a.m. A group of dogs was blocking the road on Lummi Shore Drive.

11:10 a.m. Hit and run at Rite Aid, 222 Telegraph Road. An unoccupied Jeep Liberty was struck by a blue Chevy Avalanche that was towing a tan trailer, last seen southbound on Meridian Street. Nobody managed to jot down a license plate for the Avalanche.

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Scanner chatter from Saturday afternoon, evening


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | May 20, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via scanner traffic:

12:40 p.m.: Six people passing beverages around (caller thinks it’s beer) in a northbound vehicle on Interstate 5.

2:13 p.m.: Drunk man being a nuisance at kids’ event put on by the city at the Fairhaven Village Green.

2:14 p.m.: “Just so you know,” officer says over radio, “you have most of the local bandits in the Everson bar.”

2:55 p.m.: Western Washington University Police looking for 11-year-old boy who didn’t meet up on campus as planned. Didn’t hear resolution.

4:02 p.m.: At least six calls about 1.5-foot-by-1.5-foot fire on I-5. “This was about the size of a cooking pot,” firefighter says.

5:05 p.m.: Couple walking in Whatcom Falls Park, near St. Clair Street, heard six shots fired. Boyfriend is in the military and said it sounded like a .22-caliber gun. Police canvassed the area and talked to a lot” of people. A couple bikers were the only ones who said they’re heard some popping noises.

5:18 p.m.: Transient sleeping under a “blue blankie” near the Community Food Co-op, 1220 N. Forest Street.

5:19 p.m.: Motorcycle fire on side of I-5 near Sunset Drive (milepost 255).

6 p.m.-ish: Diabetic 43-year-old man vomiting blood. Unexplained facial swelling, bleeding from the face. Taken to St. Joseph hospital by ambulance.

Also at 6 p.m.-ish: Man tells employee at Bellingham business, “Do you really want gunfire in here today?” Last seen running toward Peoples Bank. Not sure which Peoples Bank.

7:38 p.m.: “Female rolling around” on the roadside of Lakeway Drive, near I-5.

Plus a couple of drunk in public citations at Maritime Heritage Park. And a few fires, almost all of them extremely small, scattered around the county.

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A busy Saturday afternoon on the police scanner


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | May 12, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via scanner traffic:

Noon: Man having an allergic reaction, with hives on his body, at Lummi Law & Order, 2616 Kwina Road. Having trouble speaking.

12:35 p.m.: Traumatic injury in 2500 block of Lummi View Drive. No more details over the scanner after aid was called.

12:45 p.m.: Registered nurse found 86-year-old father dead in 2700 block of Nome Street.

1 p.m.: A man suffered a dislocated shoulder during a fight with a fellow tenant in the 500 block of North Garden Street. Sounded like he was trying to defend himself with an ax at one point, then had it taken from him. At least one arrested for felony assault. No details yet on what the fight was about.

1:15 p.m.: Bicyclist appeared to be carrying two guns “tucked under his shirt.” Southbound in 4000 block of Meridian Street. Red bicycle. Cops searched the area for at least the next 20 minutes, couldn’t find anyone matching the description.

1:25 p.m.: Firefighters called to investigate large beach fire near the 2300 block of West Shore Drive, on Lummi Island. Eight feet in diameter.

1:30 p.m.: Didn’t catch the location, but neighbor reported “marijuana wafting from the railroad tracks.”

1:40 p.m.: About 10 teenagers on the railroad tracks near Marine Drive, refusing to get off the tracks for BNSF maintenance workers.

1:45 p.m.: Female student reported a naked man in the girl’s bathroom near the gym at Sehome High School, 2700 Bill McDonald Parkway. “We have the student on the line. Suspect in his 40s, wearing no clothes. He was masturbating at the time.” Described as “dirty blond, overweight.” It’s a Saturday, but there’s a tennis tournament going on at the high school this weekend. When the cops got there they couldn’t find him anywhere around the gym. Sounds like nobody saw him leaving. Police were checking  Bill McDonald and Samish Way at 2 p.m.

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An update on that barn fire northeast of Deming


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | May 10, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

DEMING — It was a “dilapidated” old barn that caught fire Wednesday afternoon, May 9, at 5651 Mount Baker Highway, a couple miles northeast of Deming, said Fire District 14 Chief Jerry DeBruin.

About 3:45 p.m., the homeowner was burning brush beside the three-story barn — a little too close — when it caught fire.

“I think it was an honest mistake,” DeBruin said.

The 50-by-60-foot barn likely didn’t have much value, and it hadn’t been used for anything in a while. Much of the structure was charred, but firefighters managed to keep it partly intact.


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Man throws knife at another man, and other scanner traffic, notes from morning of May 9


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | May 9, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via scanner traffic:

About 7:30 a.m., police responded to a report of domestic violence where a man threw a knife at another man. The suspect then ran to the nearby Shell Station at 3970 Meridian St. He was apparently mad because he thought the assault victim and a woman had stolen money from him. Police were canvassing the area looking for him, but I don’t see him listed in the jail roster yet. Didn’t sound like the victim was badly hurt. We’ll try to get a full story on this later.

Update 2:11 p.m. Thursday: Turns out this was a “he said, she said” situation, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young. No arrests were made.

8 a.m.-ish, firefighters responded to a fire alarm in the roaster room of the Golden Nut Company, 1555 Odell St., in Blaine. Sounded like it didn’t turn into anything major.

About 9:30 a.m., a witness reported a semi truck hit a power pole at the intersection of Alabama and Woburn streets, then drove away. The driver’s Mount Baker Highway-based trucking company is now (9:32 a.m.) trying to get a hold of the driver, hoping to get him to return to the scene.

About the same time a man in his 40s was spotted wandering down Birchwood Avenue in a hospital gown. Didn’t hear a followup explaining the situation.

And in non-scanner notes, nothing suspicious in the death investigation listed yesterday on the Bellingham Police log, police spokesman Mark Young said this morning. Here’s the case number:

Reported: May 8 2012 1:48PM
Location: 4800 BLK GUIDE MERIDIAN RD
Offense: DEATH INVESTIGATION
Case #: 12B16173

Ofcs responded to the above location on an unattended death investigation.

Checked with Harborview again this morning about Carter Norsby, the 7-year-old boy who survived a deadly crash last week on East Pole Road, near Everson. He’s still in serious condition in the Intensive Care Unit, a hospital spokeswoman said. Here’s the last update we wrote about Carter’s condition on Saturday.

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Scanner: Heater caused strange odor at Bellingham business


Written by | The Bellingham Herald | May 3, 2012

By Caleb Hutton

Via scanner traffic:

Bellingham firefighters were called shortly before noon Thursday, May 3, to investigate a strange odor reported in the 1300 block of Railroad Avenue.

Right after arriving on the scene, they were given the all clear when it was discovered an overheating space heater was the likely culprit. Two engines stuck around for a few minutes to make sure the heater wouldn’t cause further problems.

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