A crane caught fire in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood after crashing into a power pole and leaking fuel, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
SEATTLE — Fire crews responded to a cherry picker that caught fire after contacting power lines in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood Wednesday morning, leading to a gas leak that continued to fuel flames into the afternoon.
The lift operator was rescued after being trapped for about two hours. The operator was not injured, according to Seattle Fire.
The incident began around 9 a.m. on the 1200 block of Queen Anne Avenue North when the elevated lift made contact with overhead power lines, according to David Cuerpo, a public information officer with the fire department.
“That contact then sparked a fire in the lift vehicle,” Cuerpo said. “That vehicle fire then spread to a natural gas line that was directly below it on the sidewalk.”
Firefighters were unable to immediately rescue the operator because of the energized power lines overhead. Seattle City Light responded to the scene to de-energize the lines, which was completed around 11 a.m. Approximately 525 Seattle City Light customers were without power as of about 9 a.m.
Once power was cut, rescue crews used an aerial ladder to bring the operator down safely.
But the fire continued to burn, fueled by a natural gas leak from an underground line. Puget Sound Energy crews dug three access points along Queen Anne Avenue North and Highland Drive in an effort to reach the gas line and shut it off.
The nearby apartment complex was evacuated as crews fought the fire. Fire officials detected natural gas readings inside the residential building. Officials said they hoped residents could return by early evening once the gas line was secured and the building ventilated.
No injuries were reported. Fire officials said they had not yet assessed potential damage to several vehicles parked near the burning lift.
The fire department deployed three specialized teams: an energy response team for the high-voltage lines, a rescue company and a hazmat team for the gas leak.
“It’s a very unique set of circumstances,” Cuerpo said. “It’s the first of its kind that I’ve seen in the seven years that I’ve been with the fire department.”