Seattle Fires ENERGY 1 battles damaging electrical vault fire below Broadway

The Seattle Fire Department's ENERGY 1 unit successfully battled a major electrical fire at a Seattle City Light vault near Capitol Hill Station on Saturday. The fire, which occurred shortly after noon, was extinguished within an hour, but not before causing significant damage to the vault. A Seattle City Light spokesperson confirmed that the fire was due to equipment failure, complicating the restoration of services. Reports of internet outages in the vicinity arose hours after the incident due to the power failure. Streets and sidewalks were closed during the response, with firefighters inspecting nearby structures for any potential fire spread.

This incident is part of a troubling trend, as Capitol Hill has experienced a series of power outages recently, including a significant one that left 10,000 customers without power due to damaged wires. Despite upgrades to the power grid, vulnerabilities remain, particularly in areas with overhead wires. The ongoing challenges highlight the need for continued infrastructure improvements in the rapidly developing Capitol Hill neighborhood.