Work to restore power in southern King County continues as frustration grows

MAPLE VALLEY, WA — Two people were rescued Puget Sound Fire Department officials after a tree fell and crashed into their trailer Tuesday night.

Officials wrote on X that they responded to the 22900 block of SE 184th Street.

In a short time, crews evacuated one person. It took firefighters an hour to free the second person from the trailer.

Chief Pat Pawlak told KOMO News both people were taken to the hospital. One had minor injuries, the other had moderate injuries.

Pawlak said they responded to 308 calls in 12 hours on Tuesday. About 245 of those calls were storm-related. He said they responded to 63 calls between 8 and 9 p.m.

Pawlak said firefighters will spend Wednesday assessing the damage and responding to calls.

With many places still without power, he reminds people not to use barbecue grills or generators inside. Pawlak explained that the best place to store them is outside, in a ventilated area and at least 20 feet from open doors. He also suggested not using candles as a light source. Flashlights are the best alternative.

The Puget Sound Regional Fire Department covers 120 square miles in Sea-Tac, Tukwila, Covington, Kent, Maple Valley and areas of unincorporated King County.

Elsewhere in Maple Valley on Wednesday, the sounds of generators and chainsaws could be heard. Much of the area was left without power and roads were closed as utility workers tried to get the lights back on.

Just outside Covington, we spoke with one homeowner on Thomas Road who was grateful she had a generator and her home wasn’t affected by tree damage.

The cause of the power outage was not far from her home: a large tree had downed power lines and blocked the road. It was at this point that KOMO noticed several men taking matters into their own hands.

With a chainsaw in hand, they began cutting tree branches to get through. But as soon as they started, the men were stopped by utility workers and told they weren’t allowed to do this. Before leaving the area, one man spoke to KOMO News, saying he was just “trying to find ways to get through.”

The man said that he tried to get to his place of work, but since the roads were closed, he could not get there and it took 4-5 hours.

South King County’s history is also one of frustration with traffic jams and detours caused by road closures. Cell phone coverage was also patchy at best. The most serious damage will likely not be repaired overnight. There is still a lot of work to be done.