My Ballard

There’s quite the contingent of fire engines right now (7:30 a.m.) at a house on 20th Ave. and 58th St. Turns out it’s a small kitchen fire that’s putting out a little smoke. Firefighters extinguished it in a matter of minutes.

Back in May, this was the scene at Malena’s Tacos on 56th Street:

This week, we stopped by the restaurant and took a peek inside.

Workers are making some real progress in restoring the restaurant after the fire. We called Malena’s Queen Anne location, and they said there’s no reopening date yet — but sometime in the next month or two.

A few stories from our neighbors to the east, Phinney Ridge and Greenwood…

• Tully’s Coffee on Greenwood and 85th has closed
• Endangered (and cute) turtles get head start at zoo
• Fire Station 21 plans to expand to two stories

Updated: More than a dozen fire units responded to a fully-involved house fire at 5511 2nd Ave. NW on Phinney Ridge at 7:40 p.m. Friday evening.

As I drove to the scene from Ballard, I could see smoke billowing up from over a mile away. (Photo by My Ballard reader Nina.)

Flames were shooting out the back of the two-story home, which was hard to see from the street. Both floors were on fire.

Over a hundred neighbors around the home watched the firefighters at work. A next door neighbor quickly climbed onto his roof with a garden hose.

Medic units checked out one patient, presumably the homeowner, who has minor injuries. A little less than an hour after the call the fire was out. No word on the cause, and we’ll update as we learn more.

Update: The Seattle Fire Department says the cause appears to be accidental: “discarded smoking materials” that caught fire. The homeowner was in the backyard at the time of the fire, and there are no official injuries. No word on a damage estimate, although to my untrained eye the house is a total loss.

Earlier this month: House fire on 2nd Ave. NW and 52nd St.

Firefighters responded to a dumpster fire around 5 p.m. Monday near the 7-11 on Market St. It was extinguished in a matter of minutes.

But it did get the attention of nearby businesses and passing motorists.

Also: Couch set on fire early Monday at 77th St. and 24th Ave.

When we went to bed at 11:30 p.m. or so, we were beginning to think our expanded neighborhood would escape any Fourth of July house fires, but sirens headed to Phinney Ridge woke us up at 3:15 a.m.

I could smell the smoke several blocks away. When firefighters arrived at 52nd and 2nd Ave., flames and heavy smoke were pouring from the roof. The resident was able to escape without injury.

Crews climbed up the backside of the house and sawed through the roof.

About 20 minutes later, the fire was “tapped,” or extinguished. From the outside, damage on the second floor appeared to be rather extensive. No word on whether it was fireworks-related — we’ll find out more in the morning.

Update: The fire department says it was an accidental electrical fire — not sparked by fireworks. Damage is estimated at $200,000.

A full fire dispatch got the attention of people along 11th Ave. near 83th St. this morning, but fortunately it was just small wall fire.

Firefighters responded to a camper fire on 56th and 17th this afternoon. As you can see from this photo, the smoke certainly got the attention of residents inside the nearby Ballard Place condos.

“The whole front of the camper was toast,” says My Ballard reader Nina, who sent us the photos. (Thanks, Nina!)

We have an update on the fire at Malena’s Tacos overnight.

We spoke with an owner at the scene as they evaluated the damage. The kitchen is gutted, but the rest of the restaurant appears to have survived unscathed (as well as the insurance shop next door.) She told us they hope to reopen within two months or so. Meanwhile, for your taco fix, she recommends you head to their Queen Anne restaurant at 620 W McGraw St.

A fire erupted at one of our favorite taco places, Malena’s Tacos on 56th St., just before 9 p.m. “Malena’s Tacos was issuing thick grey smoke by the time (firefighters) arrived,” My Ballard tipster Silver says, who took these photos…

The Seattle Fire Department says it was a kitchen fire. Everyone was evacuated safely, and firefighters extinguished the blaze 15 minutes after they arrived.

In all, 17 emergency vehicles responded, creating quite a stir. Onlookers watched the action from across the street.

It appears that there’s heavy smoke damage. We’ll be heading out to the scene soon for an update. Meanwhile, Silver has more photos here.

Firefighters briefly created a stir on Market St. this Sunday afternoon as they responded to a fire at Market Street Traders, that new fair trade shop that opened late last year (where the Scandinavian Gift Shop used to be.)

Turns out it was a minor furnace fire. Meanwhile, the new owners (who also own Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the waterfront) are getting ready to open up “A Little Trade Cafe” inside Market Street Traders.

Update: Firefighters responded to a fire in a two-story home (not an apartment as first reported) on 20th Ave. between 65th and 67th. An elderly couple inside was able to escape without injury. Firefighters say it looks like the cause is the chimney over the living room stove. The fire was isolated to a wall. (12:09 p.m.)

Update: The Red Cross has been called in to help the couple. If you would like to help them out, email My Ballard (tips@myballard.com) and we can pass your information along to the Red Cross (this was their suggestion).