Burien

November 27-A natural gas main was broken at a construction project shortly before 10:30 a.m.

A work crew for Southwest Suburban Sewer District severed the main at Marine View Drive Southwest and Southwest 164th Street, which had not been reported earlier following a "line locate" request.

No evacuation was needed, no one was injured, and the line was repaired and reopened.

Des Moines

Home fire claims life

of Des Moines woman

November 26-A woman died in an early morning fire that caused extensive damage to a single-family home at 1428 S. 276th Pl.

South King Fire & Rescue dispatched four engine companies, a ladder truck and a Medic One unit in response to the 4:20 a.m. alarm.

One occupant of the home was transported to Harborview Medical Center with burns to his face and back, while two other occupants were taken to St. Francis Hospital with minor injuries.

Firefighters controlled the fire within 25 minutes, but did not locate Leslie Nikolaisen until her body was found when they searched the home after the fire had been put out.

The South King Fire & Rescue and the King County fire marshals were investigating the cause of the fire.

A fund has been established at any Wells Fargo Bank as a memorial for Leslie Nickolaisen to benefit Joe Nikolaisen Jr., who lost both his wife and home in the blaze.

The Nickolaisen family has resided in the Arbor Heights and Lake Hicks area for over 50 years.

North Highline

Water main break floods homes in White Center

November 28-A water-main break around 5:30 p.m. flooded at least 10 homes in a White Center neighborhood.

The break in the 16-inch cast-iron main at Southwest 106th Street and 26th Avenue Southwest, which was installed in 1957, was believed to have occurred when a car hit a fire hydrant.

The houses, all in low-lying areas, were flooded with water between two to eight feet deep.

An estimated 100 customers were without water service for about 24 hours because utility crews had to shut off a nearby main to do the repair work.

They used pumps to get water out of the flooded homes.

Compiled by Ralph Nichols