Seattle firefighter Daniel Hess doesn't consider himself a hero. "I just did what anybody would do," he said. The difference is that he's trained and knew what to do and when, putting out a fire in the building where he lives in North Seattle. Hess is currently stationed with Engine Company 37 in West Seattle.
Being a firefighter means using your training and experience to respond to an emergency and that's exactly what Daniel Hess a Seattle firefighter with Engine Company 37 in West Seattle did on Thursday, Sept. 22 when a fire broke out in the condominium complex where he lives in North Seattle.
He was off-duty and asleep at 11:15 pm when a rooftop deck fire broke out on the four-story 24 unit condo complex in the 115 hundred block of 15th Avenue NE.
Multiple 911 callers reported large flames coming from the blaze.
Seattle police actually smashed a window, entered and pulled the building alarm which woke Hess and made his training kick in.
By chance his firefighting gear was in his car that evening and he ran to grab it. He first checked the apartments below the fire and realized the flames were centered on the rooftop deck. He found a garden hose and got a little water on the flames but it had no effect so, understanding that he had to act fast he found the building’s one-inch standpipe hose and began dousing the by then, 20 foot high flames. A standpipe is a fixed line in buildings that carries enough water pressure and has the size to convey enough water for firefighting without relying on an outside hydrant.
Engine 16 and Engine 39 arrived minutes later with hose lines that they ran up the stairwell which helped finally extinguish the blaze.
The residents were evacuated with the help of Seattle Police Officers.
Those officers went door-to-door to evacuate residents one of whom was an disabled elderly woman who was allowed to return after the fire. All units are habitable.
Due to the firefighter’s quick actions, the damage was limited to the rooftop deck. Fire investigators determined the accidental fire was caused by discarded smoking materials. The deck had barbecues and lounge chairs and was a place where people went to relax and obviously to smoke. Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore said, "There were wood slats and a space between the wood slats with cigarette butts which apparently ignited the wood deck," Investigators estimate the damage at 50 thousand dollars to the structure and 10 thousand dollars to the contents "because water went down to the carpets," said Moore. The fire had extended to a mechanical room for the building elevator.
"He did what he was trained to do," said Moore, "and we're very thankful that he jumped into action because the quicker you get water on a fire, the quicker you knock it down."
