Landslide destroys Seattle home, injures 2 people

SEATTLE — Two people were injured and a family pet died after a Seattle home “slid 15 to 20 feet off its foundation” during a landslide, authorities said Friday.

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Seattle firefighters rescued a man trapped in the basement of the home, located in the Magnolia neighborhood of the city, KIRO-TV reported.

“The steep slope area behind the house had slid likely as a result of high levels of precipitation, which resulted in the top floor of the structure partially collapsing on top of the daylight basement,” the Seattle Fire Department said in a statement.

A woman escaped on her own while one dog died, firefighters said. Another dog is missing, according to the statement.

“It almost sounded like a big wave hit the land,” one neighbor told KIRO.

“The house completely pancaked onto the first story,” Kristin Tinsley, spokesperson for the Seattle Fire Department, told the television station. When we arrived on (the) scene, that person was actually trapped in the basement of the home covered in debris.”

“The whole second story just collapsed onto the first story,” Lt. Colin McElroy, with Seattle Fire Rescue 1, told KIRO. “(The man who was trapped) was near a refrigerator, which helped hold up some of the structural beams.”

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation on Friday because of severe winter storms dating to Dec. 17, according to The Associated Press.

“During the wet season, with snow melt and sustained rain, it’s important for homeowners in areas on or near steep slopes to periodically evaluate the state of the hillside for signs of soil movement,” the Seattle Fire Department said in a statement.

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