P3302772-b P3302777-b P3302778-b P3302788-b P3312794-b P3302783-b P3312797-b Story & Photos by Sterling Paris South King Media Intern So I come in for work today (Tuesday, March 31) and before I can even put my purse down Scott asks frantically “Didn’t you get my text?!” then quickly gives me an assignment and address and pushes me back out the door. So I follow the GPS to a blocked-off road on 1st Ave South, just a block or two away from Evergreen High School (near S. 114th) – there was an apartment fire! I was hesitant to go across the DETOUR sign and police car blocking the road. I asked a man who passed me if it was alright to go any further, and he said he just came from that direction. So I followed him. On the way walking, he told me what had supposedly happened (I have no idea if it is true or not, so dont take my word for it); he said that inside one of the apartments, something caught on fire. The woman inside called 911, then apparently passed out? Then fire trucks and paramedics came, and they gave her CPR before I came. When I arrived the fire was out and there was no CPR taking place, and apparently there were a lot more fire trucks before. The fire fighters were packing up their big hoses. Sadly, there was one very critical victim from the fire, and Battalion Chief Doug Luedeman told us that they were not sure of her current condition. First breaking news story for me…whoah! Until next time, (and thank you so much for reading) – Sterling Paris

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Intern’s View” is a special feature that spotlights the talents of Sterling Paris, our Highline Public Schools Intern. If you have a story idea for Sterling, you can contact her at the office from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at (206) 248- 2565, or email sterling@southkingmedia.com.
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Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.

27 replies on “INTERN'S VIEW: I got to cover a breaking news story about a fire Tuesday!”

  1. Thanks for the update! Very sad for the fire victim.
    PS., You needed GPS help from the B-Town office to the area of 1st Ave So. and 116th? Lol….Doesn’t get any easier than that.

  2. I make my living off the evening news
    Just give me something-something I can use
    People love it when you lose
    They love dirty laundry
    We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde
    Who comes on at five
    She can tell you bout the plane crash
    With a gleam in her eye
    It’s interesting when people die
    Give us dirty laundry
    Can we film the operation?
    Is the head dead yet?
    You know, the boys in the newsroom
    Got a running bet
    Get the widow on the set!
    We need dirty laundry

  3. So sorry about the victim, hope she makes it.
    Your story was refreshing, so good to hear things from a neophyte point of view.
    “Steady as she goes.”Sterling, Maybe next time you can do a follow up on how the victim is doing and how exactly the fire started. That will test your ingenuity a bit. Keep up the good work.

  4. Thank you for the update. I was on my way to Sky’s Barber to get my hair cut this morning and got turned around. Being new to the area a transplant from Beacon Hill I am glad I found this blog (This was the only information I found about what was going on today.)
    I guess I will get my hair done tomorrow at Sky’s and I look forward to reading this blog to learn more about my new Hood!.

  5. Pictures at https://www.facebook.com/lizhavlin/posts/913780868673355
    Omg. I was almost asleep and I heard a window break. When I opened my front door, the apartment below me is in flames. I can’t believe it. We almost didn’t get out and my cats are up there!!!
    ***********
    Update on the fire from yesterday:
    We are starting cleanup today and have access to a giant dumpster so it will get done.
    Although this was a shock and a tragedy, we are all safe.
    Thank you, friends!

    1. interesting what happen with your 3d printer thing that people are asking about where there money went
      https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lizhavlin/wastestream-to-mainstream-recycling-into-3d-printi/comments
      http://venturebeat.com/2014/04/20/seattle-entrepreneur-is-turning-old-soda-bottles-into-3d-printer-ink/
      Now theres been a fire in your building and you want people to donate money to you when you have 80 backer that have donated $15,506 but now you have this other project your working on when your backers are starting to feel riped off from your previous project sorry lady but this seems a little fishy

        1. That just explains what your doing not really a update just another blog or news site with a story. Also I hope before you get to into going on a reality tv show like shark tank that you realize most if not all reality tv shows are scripted and not real reality. So good luck at your adventures. But I rather donate money to the lady that was injured and lost all her stuff.

          1. Yes I am working on my projects.
            Thanks for your interest.
            I am staying positive and posted my post about fundraising to show I am moving forward. I posted too much, I realize. Was kind of in shock and trying to show that I wasn’t just going to sit here and be like “poor poor me”.
            Wasn’t trying to be “fishy”. I had posted my campaign before the fire.
            I don’t know if Shark Tank is scripted.
            I do know that the initial audition is with the producers not the Sharks.
            And luckily my Twistiis came clean because they are all I got left of my invention!
            I asked the family when they came yesterday if they needed anything and they basically just grabbed a few pictures and left.
            this is the second fire in 6 months in this building.

          2. There has been 2 fires, a leaking roof and many other problems with this building.
            Renters insurance excludes preexisting conditions.
            Stop trolling, and move on to someone’s else’s tragedy.

      1. Hi!
        Yes my cats and doggie are safe.
        We were not able to save the animals from the apartment downstairs.
        Although we only found one of cats bodies, from the destruction of the space, it is unlikely that the other will be found.
        I did put out food and water and am monitoring to see if any further animals are found.
        Thank you for your concern!

  6. Rene is the lady with the 4 boys who needs help and she will be sending me her fundraising link later today!
    Thank you b-town blog for being Burien’s source for real local news!

  7. so let me get this straight. One person was seriously injured, two other families are displaced, an apartment building is nearly destroyed, and the big news is you got to cover a breaking news story? and you can’t find so. 114th and 1st ave so without gps? Congratulations. Next time make the report about the news and not yourself….

    1. As Sterling’s Mentor may I just step in and defend her:
      She is just a few months into her Internship, just turned 16, lives in Des Moines, just got her driver’s license, and is learning about journalism (and Burien) as she goes.
      I am probably more to blame here though, as I have encouraged her to speak her voice and share her feelings when writing.
      Please note that this was her first “breaking news” assignment. She didn’t have any more info on the fire (including injuries and displacement), other than what she saw at the time.
      thanks,
      scott

      1. Taught in Journalism 100: News stories are written with an objective voice, editorials are subjective.

    2. The neighbor who caused the fire died.
      And when I put in 114th and 1st Ave in google maps, it gives me 3 different options since right across the street is 11th ave SW but in the middle of the road, it turns into 114th Ave, then you cross over all the way and its 114th S
      And NO OTHER NEWS SOURCE COVERED THIS STORY.
      They weren’t even interested unless they could get footage of the blaze, or pictures of a dead body and sobbing displaced tenants.

      1. Also I believe these comments did not involve you they were about the intern . Accept for my comment .

  8. This is exactly why I fell out of love with the internet.
    No matter what the situation is, internet trolls can sit back and smear away without realizing (or maybe they do) the unnecessary.
    I think blogs should graduate to making people register as a user and link their facebook, Twitter or other social media so the trolls will then be accountable for what they say instead of being able to hide behind “jimmy” or “jenny”.
    Jimmy and Jenny are most likely the same person, who probably work at at a competing blog or news source.
    I was in that fire and if I wouldn’t have been trapped in my car with my toddler between the fire trucks, I would’ve most certainly spoke to her and gave her more to write about.

    1. a competing or news site or blog hmm ok. Thats a little interesting since I have not said anything bad about this blog and the editor can check the servers I.P. address log and see that me and “jenny” are two different people. I feel you are upset with me because I smelled some thing fishy about your story. So I did some research on you and I have to say wow you have a bit of history on the Internet but I don’t want to explain it. That’s for other people to figure out now so have a nice life with your adventures maam.

      1. Thanks Jimmy!
        Yes, I tried to save a 1901 Denim Factory in Liberty SC.
        You had to dig deep to find the one person who spent years trying to stop me and guess what?
        He won. The people of Liberty SC lost, but he won.
        Never under estimate the power of ignorance or the determination of people with nothing to do to try and throw a wrench in it.
        I tried my darndest to raise money to save one of the last 4 denim factories in the USA and I raised a whopping $350 via crowdfunding. I spent thousands of my own money and years of my life and I still failed.
        I will never give up on trying to bring manufacturing back to the USA.
        Even after losing our worldly possessions to smoke damage and being trolled by people like you “Jimmy”, I still believe that we can make this world a better place.
        Here is a link to the story: http://mynorthwest.com/646/2306104/A-Seattle-womans-passion-for-saving-madeinAmerica-denim
        Thank you again for all the interest in my projects!

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