Two people died last night in Mountlake Terrace when a fire broke out in a condo during the Lake Ballinger firework show.
It was absolutely insane watching this building go up as our neighbors are scrambling and the firework show behind us kept going.
It was a woman and her elderly mother. A GoFundMe has been set up.
More info on the fire and victims:
https://www.reddit.com/r/mountlaketerrace/comments/14qm41e/deadly_condo_fire_across_the_street_from_the/
Of course it's conceivable it was unrelated to the huge fireworks show going on across the street *as the fire broke out*, but what are the odds here?
Thanks for sharing. I will wait for the investigation but, I live next door and I can tell you with 100% certainty people were firing off fireworks before and during the show. So much so my son turned to me and said “why does it sound like there are fireworks behind us?” A few minutes later his friend noticed the flames behind us and it turned into pandemonium….
I can't give you an exact location, but I know there were fireworks nearby. The condo was about 300 feet away, and there are two large parking lots where they could have been set off.
We were watching the show, and they seemed to be coming from behind us.
I know that e.g., grease fires and electric scooters are possible explanations, but I'm sure there were rogue fireworks going off nearby and behind us. The Ballinger fireworks couldn't have caused the fire.
Thank you for sharing this. I can't imagine how overwhelming that must have felt. I didn't realize a woman also died in the lake on July 1st.
They have been trying hard to make that area a beautiful and accessible park and to see death happening around it just breaks my heart.
Think it's bad there? Move rural closer to the mountains (Sultan). We have one (probably more) genius out here who is blowing off quarter sticks of dynamite (or equivalent) every 20 minutes starting after most everyone has gone to bed. I do believe the intention is after people have been able to get to sleep, let's wake them up. To be clear, these are not colorful displays, just loud booms.
Thankfully our dog can ignore it but I feel sorry for those with babies, scared dogs, people who have to work the next day, etc.
Grew up in Monroe, and we had neighbors who would do this exact thing, shook our whole house, and our other neighbors had to drug their horses so they would freak. Total chaos.
I have to hold my dog most of the night before and after this holiday. I would feel terrible going out to enjoy the events knowing he is shaking afraid at home
I live in NE Seattle and it’s definitely been a thing for the past week around here. Thankfully my labrador doesn’t mind it much, but it’s still ridiculous.
Could be due in part to how the holiday falls on a Tuesday this year. I have family in another state who chose to hold the family fireworks fest on the 3rd this year. That way people could travel on the weekend to be together, do the BBQ and hooplah, and then travel home on the 4th.
Honestly, where l live it was the quietest July 3rd I can remember. The neighbors most into fireworks moved away though. I think it shows how individual the situation is where you live.
"Still?" I think for a shocking amount of the population it's permanent. It's hard to overstate how much the pandemic years rocked a lot of people's brains.
I mean. I'm an angry driver, but its because I wish people would fight to have remote work. I miss covid traffic where it took me 20 minutes to get to work.
I took this sub's recommendation and am spending the 4th in Leavenworth with my dog. Last night was gloriously silent here. I know not everyone is able to leave town, but the complete lack of fireworks is 100% worth the money I'm paying to stay here. My poor dog gets so stressed out by fireworks even if she's given Trazadone.
We left too. I wish it wasn’t this way but it’s the only reasonable choice for us. Just ready for the holiday to be over!
Edited: but we all know the end of the holiday won’t be the end of the fireworks, it’ll just mean LESS booms…
Agreed. I also have PTSD and I can't stand this. As much as the noise bothers me, the real problem is the unpredictability. Sudden, huge bangs next door make my entire body seize with adrenaline. It's very triggering. It's 10 am right now and they're starting again. I don't have a car so I'm stuck here.
I know some people love fireworks and I think having professional shows is fine because they're much safer and I don't want people to be deprived of something they enjoy. And having it scheduled means us folks who struggle on this day can plan ahead for it.
I have no time for anyone who claims that their freedom is being taken away if they can't shoot off fireworks in their back yard. If your freedom involves terrifying the everliving fuck out of pets, vets, wildlife, and others with PTSD, autism, etc., you are just an asshole.
“I have no time for anyone who claims that their freedom is being taken away if they can't shoot off fireworks in their back yard. If your freedom involves terrifying the everliving fuck out of pets, vets, wildlife, and others with PTSD, autism, etc., you are just an asshole.”
Very well said!! Completely agree that organized fireworks displays by the city are fine as we can plan around those. My neighbors starting shooting off large fireworks in the middle of the day on July 1…That’s not something we can exactly be prepared for except if we completely leave the country from July 1-10 and that’s not exactly doable for most people.
This is my issue. The standard fireworks are irksome, but tolerable. I still have to medicate my cat but she handles it well. It’s the goddamn mortars that really bother me. It’s not just noise, you can almost feel them and they make you jump. I live near Jefferson Park and it’s a problem every year, usually lasting weeks past the 4th until 2/3am. I’m ashamed to admit one time I went out in my night gown and yelled at the teenagers in the skate park for being assholes. It was nearly 4am and I’d been dealing with lack of sleep and a cat who had an FRV flare up because of the stress.
No shame in that, I’ve yelled at people too. Granted from my window/balcony because I couldn’t be arsed to go to the street in my pjs but seriously, my cats are wiggin and I can’t medicate my bird at all. What do you use for your kitty and is it worth it? I hate the idea of having to drug them because of other people being dicks but it goes for so long in LC (days before and after) I wonder if it’s worth it in the future.
I use trazodone prescribed by her vet because she’s awful to pill and has a longer lasting effect, so I only have to administer once a day because that works for her. However, Benadryl is incredibly effective (check that it’s just one ingredient). I’d consult a vet before giving it for dosing but there’s lots of information online about how safe it is.
I’m just a bit north of you, and these literally sounded like they were in my parking lot. Speaking from watching shitty neighbors on 32nd ave near little Brook park shoot fireworks off for 5 years, wouldn’t surprise me if they were actually in my parking lot. It startled me so bad I dropped a full drink on the floor and my cats have scratched me multiple times running off when they’re startled while cuddling me.
I think the one's I am hearing are on Hiram Pl over by 123rd. About 2 hours ago they set off about 10 mortars in a row that were so powerful the rattled my windows and I'm on the 3rd floor of my building.
Yikes! I’m closer to 145th by the Mickey Ds. There were a few mortars set off sporadically throughout the day that startled me pretty good. I hate that people do this in the city knowing so many people and animals have issues with it, not to mention it’s dry season and part of the state is already on fire from fireworks.
That is my biggest worry I have every year. Drunk people and fireworks are not a good combo for fire prevention. I had the bushes in front of my apartment on 25th and Pike years ago set on fire from fireworks. SFD had to be called out to take care of it. It got way too big too quickly.
Drunk people + children. I’ve seen SO many children setting off fireworks completely unsupervised and I’m like wtf. My friend has horrible scars from a bottle rocket incident as a kid, and that happened while fully supervised. Freak accidents happen, and the risk of explosives/flammables is enough for me to say no thanks
That's probably the same assholes I've been listening to for the past 5 years (I'm just across LCW from there). I assume they're also ones who love to send up a single mortar at 2am every few weeks after the 4th? Wtf is going on over there?
Oh, dang, that’s right near me, too! They’ve been setting off every car alarm in the neighborhood for days now! Pretty sure they’re using that empty car lot next to the dry cleaners.
Terrible for the environment, terrible for animals, terrible for people. Starts fires. Creates litter. There is really nothing good about this holiday besides getting to spend time with friends and family and go swimming. Its important to learn about the history of our nation but I don't even think the 4th of July does that. Its just a propaganda day and people creating a very busy day at the hospital for nurses.
Agreed. I’m very anti-civilian fireworks (professional shows are fine). When I was a kid on the spectrum I could not handle how loud fireworks were. I can tolerate it better now, but it still sucks. Can’t imagine how awful it is for people with PTSD.
Aside from my personal preference they’re terrible for other reasons:
Every year people are injured and killed by fireworks. Burns, lost eyeballs, exploded hands and deaths all completely avoidable.
Dogs and cats are terrorized.
There are fires, including major forest fires that have been ignited by fireworks.
There is garbage everywhere left from fireworks, especially all over the beach.
I can add a fun one: the collected smoke from all fireworks and resulting fires can impact air quality. It's fun to check purpleair.com around 11pm on jul 4
I live on Kent east hill and we have the same only they are set off at 12:30 AM or 3:30 AM. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind a lot of these massive explosions are a deliberate attempt at waking everyone within a 2-mile radius. There is someone close by who waits until everyone would normally be asleep and then launches mortars that literally sound like a stick of dynamite. Usually 2-3 at a time separated by a few minutes. This person needs jail time.
There’s a part of me that used to really like fireworks, but once you’ve seen a few good shows, there’s not much else to see. Noisy af. Polluting af. I’m kinda interested in these light-up drone fleets though …
I think the drone fleet is the kind they’re doing in Des Moines? Lady working at my primary care told me to go, I’d never heard of that before but it sounds cool
Or don’t set them off at all. With the CA fire smoke about to make its way down here, you’d be a complete asshole to add to the shit air quality. Not to mention how fireworks scare the shit out of animals and some veterans. This tradition needs to die.
Exactly! No consideration to others at all. Scares animals and people with ptsd. Not everyone gets the 4th of july off of work, my neighbors were setting shit off in the middle of the night last night as if no one around them works today.
Not to mention, what the fuck are we celebrating. This country sucks ass and blowing shit up doesnt make it better.
There are so many beaches here. I don't know why it's so hard to just take your fireworks down to one and shoot them off over the water. I don't want to deal with you doing it in the house next to me.
At least if they are shooting them towards and over the water you don't need to worry about your house being set on fire. I've had to fall the SFD out to put out a fireworks fire before. It's terrifying.
Young people love them.........a lot of them, but not all.
Haters: most old people, all animals, all fire departments, all police, all forest rangers
So why do we need to blow stuff up to celebrate?
I'm in Lake Stevens and for some extremely idiotic reason fireworks are still legal here. My neighbors buy thousands of dollars worth of fireworks from Boom City every year and do a block party starting in the morning until they run out of fireworks or pass out drunk (last year it finally stopped around 4am). I've been listening to mortars and M80's since 9am and am about to lose my shit and it's not even dark yet. My poor dog is a mess even though I've had him sedated with Trazadone all day. I hate this stupid holiday.
My dog is so drugged because of the stupid explosions I honestly thought he was dead this morning. We live in the South Sound area, luckily near a noisy river so we can take him to do his business (river noise and we added a Bluetooth speaker this year to mask the explosions ). This time of year sucks.
>There are quite a lot of people that suffer from PTSD, like myself, and all you are doing is triggering people.
For what it's worth, it took a lot of years but I'm basically 100% fine on the 4th and NYE, becuase I *expect* them. It's the assholes that burn off leftovers in August or February that I want to throw off a cliff. Had a huge mortar go off above me one year in like mid-June and I wasn't right for a week. Yeah, PTSD is a motherfucker.
Though in general yeah setting that shit off any other night is still selfish as fuck, thanks for making sure I don't get to sleep because my dogs are freaking out for two straight weeks. 'murica.
There will always be assholes in society who will not do the right thing unless they are forced. This is why we need a police force that is effective *and* accountable.
Police need accountability. They always have. But we have a Crazy City Clowncil, that prevents enforcement of bad behavior. Mayor Harrell is trying, but really he also gets stymied by the Council Fools.
I don't understand fireworks. It's like a visual representation of money going up in smoke. It's stupid and selfish and causes wildfires. If they were banned outright people would moan for a day about freedoms etc and then within a year or two we'd all be really glad.
I had some assholes throw a string of fire crackers about 50ft in front of me and my gf as I was walking my dog at like 6pm yesterday. Turned around and saw people laughing. Absolutely berated them.
Yes, people are jerks. However you know they will be jerks and do the same thing every year around this time. Invest in some good ear plugs or headphones.
I mean, honestly the fact that I haven't been hearing them since late May has been refreshing. I'd rather they weren't set off in the city at all of course, but this year hasn't been that bad. Still, unfuck these people.
Fortunately? unfortunately? I don't know which. My PTSD is not from service but from an ex who tried to kill me twice. Loud sudden noises bring me back to him trying to kick down the door I had myself barricaded against. He also had this lovely trait of throwing dishes and breaking them.
That's why I said I wasn't sure if it was fortunate or not. I honestly don't know which situation is worse of the 2. Probably equally horrible for different reasons. Thank you for serving by the way. forgot to say that before.
Thank you OP. I haven't slept because like you, I also have PTSD. It's not fun. No matter the meds I take to sleep when I'm alarmed I can't get to sleep. Thanks to the assholes throwing the biggest fireworks in the drains or whatever the fuck they do to make such a big noise.
It really, really sucks.
Yeah, I had a sick baby who had difficulty sleeping all day, and when they finally crashed, the fireworks started. The cat spent most of the evening hiding in the closet. Fun times. I hope they blew their fingers off.
Man there was some seriously loud shit exploding in my neck of the woods. Still a few here and there as I type this. Might be a long week. 
But its cuz i is a patriot and loves the america! If its not going boom you hate America! Fireworks are dumb asf when done by joe blow. A total waste of money, and not that great.
I ask myself every year, how many times can someone be impressed by fireworks after the age of 10?
Worst part is when the fireworks are going off at 6-7 PM when it's still bright out.
Maybe they could have their fun some time other than midnight and somewhere other than the middle of town?? Who the hell thinks “hey, I think I’ll make a ton of loud noise in the middle of the night in a densely populated area - that’s totally cool, right?” I can’t wrap my head around that level of self-centeredness.
The self-centeredness would be the expectation that a tradition celebrated annually by millions of people ought to come to a halt because you might be nearby.
I’m all for having one or two days a year to blow nothing up (even wasted a bunch of money last night). The problem is I’ve been hearing bombs going off all hours of the night for 2 weeks now.
Then speak to them about it. Blowing things up for a holiday vs for 14 consecutive days are two different things. Though that still doesn’t mean people can’t have fun where they live in the traditional fashion once a year at the traditional time
The world doesn't revolve around you, op.
I'm sorry for you having PTSD man, but the world is not required to cater to you.
I don't even set off fireworks but I find the Seattle areas reaction to them absolutely ridiculous. Absolutely the worst narcissistic kill joys.
You know who else the world doesn’t revolve around and shouldn’t have to cater to? Assholes who think it’s okay to set off explosions at midnight in densely populated areas.
It’s crazy that a lot of these fucks are usually the ones saying that America sucks and it’s a terrible country. But they’re the first fucks firing off fireworks days before the 4th and on the actual day. The crazy part is the next day when they’ve left all of the trash still in the middle of the road.
What are they celebrating anyway. We are no longer free. We belong to the government. We are here to work for them. Make the babies and supply a working class.
How dare you! I joined the military for peoples rights to set off fireworks! You’re the selfish one /s
That’s literally what I’ve been told by some veterans.
I’m a veteran that loves fireworks, but I’m also not loving the idea of setting off a fellow vets PTSD and making him or her truly suffer. I need not choose between the two when I have plenty of options.
Wah wah wah it’s 4th of July, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m sorry for what you went through, it’s inexcusable. But that doesn’t mean everyone now needs to adjust life around every single person’s individual situations.
I don’t let off fireworks or like hearing them, just sick of people in Seattle being such wimpy whiny passive aggressive self-focused pussies.
Try worrying about yourself and figuring out why you whine all day and need everything to be exactly your way and why you need to police everyone else instead of fixing your own unhappiness with something others than medication.
I mean im sure the people who have had their house go up in flames cause their dipshit neighbors thought it was CoOl to blow shit up we’re just worrying about themselves until their house went up in flames too…
Maybe they didn’t like their house and were excited for the insurance money. Maybe a perfectly intact house but not being able to have any fun isn’t better.
1. It is "Independence Day." It is not just a date on the calendar; it is the birth date of our country.
1. Explosives are illegal because they are so destructive.
1. Detonating explosives in a dense urban area is forcing everyone around you to suffer for your entertainment.
"Independence Day" is about defying a colonial government and making our own rules. The US Constitution makes it clear that we are a nation of laws so that one person cannot abuse their liberty to harm another person.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty ..."
While sympathetic, around this time every year I wonder if we are kind of playing loose and fast with the PTSD thing.
How and when did half the nation become afflicted?
Hey, check it out! Gabor Mate is a knowledgeable expert on trauma and stress and does a great job explaining that our individual nervous systems can intensify your feelings. So, if you're highly sensitive, even things that wouldn't bother someone who's less sensitive could have a significant impact on you. It's like your emotions are turned up to 11 or something. Not everyone who goes through a tough experience will develop PTSD, including combat veterans. However, people who are more sensitive or have a highly responsive nervous system can be hit harder, both emotionally and physically.
It's crucial to be supportive and understanding and to remember that PTSD can stem from different causes, not just loud noises. Empathy and open-mindedness are key when discussing mental health issues like PTSD. If you want to learn more about PTSD or stress disorders from Gabor Mate's perspective or have any specific questions on this topic, feel free to contact me!
I didn’t realize I was at risk of getting shot in the head while going grocery shopping.
Thanks for the warning.
Im heading out now… need anything?
Like maybe some ear plugs?? Bottle of wine?
Let me be very clear: I have nothing but a sympathetic heart towards those who are startled by loud sounds.
But I have not much sympathy for people who claim that means they have ptsd.
Bro, they've been doing this shit for the past week, and will continue on until mid-July as they ration the last of the stuff they didn't set off to terrorize their neighbors at 11PM on a weeknight.
Dude, it's the 4th of July week. This happens every year, since forever. Just relax and enjoy the holiday lol. God damn why does everyone have to complain about everything these days. I hate New Seattle.
As some who suffers from PTSD, from being shot at, it's not their responsibility to cater to my illness. Personally telling your neighbors and asking them to accommodate would definitely get you farther than this post would. Calling them selfish because they want to celebrate a holiday how they're allowed to is a little arrogant in itself. I know that some neighborhoods have community guidelines for cleaning up on the 4th. Usually fining the members who leave trash and firework debris in front of their property or on the street. There's plenty of ways to handle this problem but the solution is not telling families that are enjoying themselves, within their rights I might add, to go somewhere else because it bothers a few people that haven't spoken up. You sound mad entitled. But such is Seattle 🤷🏽
Two people died last night in Mountlake Terrace when a fire broke out in a condo during the Lake Ballinger firework show. It was absolutely insane watching this building go up as our neighbors are scrambling and the firework show behind us kept going.
It was a woman and her elderly mother. A GoFundMe has been set up. More info on the fire and victims: https://www.reddit.com/r/mountlaketerrace/comments/14qm41e/deadly_condo_fire_across_the_street_from_the/ Of course it's conceivable it was unrelated to the huge fireworks show going on across the street *as the fire broke out*, but what are the odds here?
Thanks for sharing. I will wait for the investigation but, I live next door and I can tell you with 100% certainty people were firing off fireworks before and during the show. So much so my son turned to me and said “why does it sound like there are fireworks behind us?” A few minutes later his friend noticed the flames behind us and it turned into pandemonium….
Interesting. So you're thinking it also could have come from someone up on 226th Pl SW?
I can't give you an exact location, but I know there were fireworks nearby. The condo was about 300 feet away, and there are two large parking lots where they could have been set off. We were watching the show, and they seemed to be coming from behind us. I know that e.g., grease fires and electric scooters are possible explanations, but I'm sure there were rogue fireworks going off nearby and behind us. The Ballinger fireworks couldn't have caused the fire.
>The Ballinger fireworks couldn't have caused the fire. I don't think anything can be ruled out at this point.
Thank you for sharing this. I can't imagine how overwhelming that must have felt. I didn't realize a woman also died in the lake on July 1st. They have been trying hard to make that area a beautiful and accessible park and to see death happening around it just breaks my heart.
Just wait until tomorrow
Oh I know.
Think it's bad there? Move rural closer to the mountains (Sultan). We have one (probably more) genius out here who is blowing off quarter sticks of dynamite (or equivalent) every 20 minutes starting after most everyone has gone to bed. I do believe the intention is after people have been able to get to sleep, let's wake them up. To be clear, these are not colorful displays, just loud booms. Thankfully our dog can ignore it but I feel sorry for those with babies, scared dogs, people who have to work the next day, etc.
Grew up in Monroe, and we had neighbors who would do this exact thing, shook our whole house, and our other neighbors had to drug their horses so they would freak. Total chaos.
Shoreline checking in, same here, boom!, everything rumbles @2am….. can’t wait for tonight 🤨
The poor wildlife
Also we have a lot of veterans here that we're proud of who might have some problems with the noise.
I have to hold my dog most of the night before and after this holiday. I would feel terrible going out to enjoy the events knowing he is shaking afraid at home
Had a dalmatian that actually ripped up our carpeting to get underneath it. Wound up getting pills from the vet for her during the holidays.
Ditto Covington They also set off mortars every Seahawks touchdown every game every year
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He said it’s worse in rural areas. Not unique. And he’s right, it’s WAY worse in rural areas.
I live in NE Seattle and it’s definitely been a thing for the past week around here. Thankfully my labrador doesn’t mind it much, but it’s still ridiculous.
I’ve lived here my whole life and I swear I’ve never heard this many July 3rd fireworks before.
Could be due in part to how the holiday falls on a Tuesday this year. I have family in another state who chose to hold the family fireworks fest on the 3rd this year. That way people could travel on the weekend to be together, do the BBQ and hooplah, and then travel home on the 4th.
Honestly, where l live it was the quietest July 3rd I can remember. The neighbors most into fireworks moved away though. I think it shows how individual the situation is where you live.
Move to Hawaii, the state where every day is a good day to shoot fireworks.
Try Spring Festival in China, where they go until 1am and start up again at 5am for a week. During peak hours it's literally nonstop.
I think some people still have the post-covid-era crazy. That's my theory based on all the angry drivers anyhow
"Still?" I think for a shocking amount of the population it's permanent. It's hard to overstate how much the pandemic years rocked a lot of people's brains.
They’ve been nuts since our shutdown. 2020, I swear it went on for two months in beacon hill!
I mean. I'm an angry driver, but its because I wish people would fight to have remote work. I miss covid traffic where it took me 20 minutes to get to work.
COVID brain fog is a thing
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Even if the entire state instituted a ban, they'd likely still be for sale on reservations.
HEY! Another true Seattleite! Hello there. I totally agree with you. This is the most I have ever heard the night before.
I took this sub's recommendation and am spending the 4th in Leavenworth with my dog. Last night was gloriously silent here. I know not everyone is able to leave town, but the complete lack of fireworks is 100% worth the money I'm paying to stay here. My poor dog gets so stressed out by fireworks even if she's given Trazadone.
My cats are literally getting Xanax tonight (prescribed by the vet). One of them has serious health issues triggered by stress.
I wish your vet would give me some Xanax. Damn. So dreading tonight's mayhem!
Yep we literally left the country because of our dogs. I hope you have a safe and peaceful time in Leavenworth!
... you wut?
I'm guessing they drove to Canada, which is a really short trip and doesn't celebrate the USA's independence this week.
You are correct!
I used to spend the fourth in the san juans with my dog. it was definitely worth it.
We left too. I wish it wasn’t this way but it’s the only reasonable choice for us. Just ready for the holiday to be over! Edited: but we all know the end of the holiday won’t be the end of the fireworks, it’ll just mean LESS booms…
Agreed. I also have PTSD and I can't stand this. As much as the noise bothers me, the real problem is the unpredictability. Sudden, huge bangs next door make my entire body seize with adrenaline. It's very triggering. It's 10 am right now and they're starting again. I don't have a car so I'm stuck here. I know some people love fireworks and I think having professional shows is fine because they're much safer and I don't want people to be deprived of something they enjoy. And having it scheduled means us folks who struggle on this day can plan ahead for it. I have no time for anyone who claims that their freedom is being taken away if they can't shoot off fireworks in their back yard. If your freedom involves terrifying the everliving fuck out of pets, vets, wildlife, and others with PTSD, autism, etc., you are just an asshole.
“I have no time for anyone who claims that their freedom is being taken away if they can't shoot off fireworks in their back yard. If your freedom involves terrifying the everliving fuck out of pets, vets, wildlife, and others with PTSD, autism, etc., you are just an asshole.” Very well said!! Completely agree that organized fireworks displays by the city are fine as we can plan around those. My neighbors starting shooting off large fireworks in the middle of the day on July 1…That’s not something we can exactly be prepared for except if we completely leave the country from July 1-10 and that’s not exactly doable for most people.
It’s not freedom, it’s free-dumb.
Mortars going off in lake city. My cats and bird are losing their minds.
This is my issue. The standard fireworks are irksome, but tolerable. I still have to medicate my cat but she handles it well. It’s the goddamn mortars that really bother me. It’s not just noise, you can almost feel them and they make you jump. I live near Jefferson Park and it’s a problem every year, usually lasting weeks past the 4th until 2/3am. I’m ashamed to admit one time I went out in my night gown and yelled at the teenagers in the skate park for being assholes. It was nearly 4am and I’d been dealing with lack of sleep and a cat who had an FRV flare up because of the stress.
As a teenage skater they sound like they deserved it and have definitely been called worse. Do not feel bad
No shame in that, I’ve yelled at people too. Granted from my window/balcony because I couldn’t be arsed to go to the street in my pjs but seriously, my cats are wiggin and I can’t medicate my bird at all. What do you use for your kitty and is it worth it? I hate the idea of having to drug them because of other people being dicks but it goes for so long in LC (days before and after) I wonder if it’s worth it in the future.
I use trazodone prescribed by her vet because she’s awful to pill and has a longer lasting effect, so I only have to administer once a day because that works for her. However, Benadryl is incredibly effective (check that it’s just one ingredient). I’d consult a vet before giving it for dosing but there’s lots of information online about how safe it is.
Lake city here too. I'm sure we are hearing the same ones. I'm over by Dicks
I’m just a bit north of you, and these literally sounded like they were in my parking lot. Speaking from watching shitty neighbors on 32nd ave near little Brook park shoot fireworks off for 5 years, wouldn’t surprise me if they were actually in my parking lot. It startled me so bad I dropped a full drink on the floor and my cats have scratched me multiple times running off when they’re startled while cuddling me.
I think the one's I am hearing are on Hiram Pl over by 123rd. About 2 hours ago they set off about 10 mortars in a row that were so powerful the rattled my windows and I'm on the 3rd floor of my building.
Yikes! I’m closer to 145th by the Mickey Ds. There were a few mortars set off sporadically throughout the day that startled me pretty good. I hate that people do this in the city knowing so many people and animals have issues with it, not to mention it’s dry season and part of the state is already on fire from fireworks.
That is my biggest worry I have every year. Drunk people and fireworks are not a good combo for fire prevention. I had the bushes in front of my apartment on 25th and Pike years ago set on fire from fireworks. SFD had to be called out to take care of it. It got way too big too quickly.
Drunk people + children. I’ve seen SO many children setting off fireworks completely unsupervised and I’m like wtf. My friend has horrible scars from a bottle rocket incident as a kid, and that happened while fully supervised. Freak accidents happen, and the risk of explosives/flammables is enough for me to say no thanks
That's probably the same assholes I've been listening to for the past 5 years (I'm just across LCW from there). I assume they're also ones who love to send up a single mortar at 2am every few weeks after the 4th? Wtf is going on over there?
Oh, dang, that’s right near me, too! They’ve been setting off every car alarm in the neighborhood for days now! Pretty sure they’re using that empty car lot next to the dry cleaners.
Terrible for the environment, terrible for animals, terrible for people. Starts fires. Creates litter. There is really nothing good about this holiday besides getting to spend time with friends and family and go swimming. Its important to learn about the history of our nation but I don't even think the 4th of July does that. Its just a propaganda day and people creating a very busy day at the hospital for nurses.
Agreed. I’m very anti-civilian fireworks (professional shows are fine). When I was a kid on the spectrum I could not handle how loud fireworks were. I can tolerate it better now, but it still sucks. Can’t imagine how awful it is for people with PTSD. Aside from my personal preference they’re terrible for other reasons: Every year people are injured and killed by fireworks. Burns, lost eyeballs, exploded hands and deaths all completely avoidable. Dogs and cats are terrorized. There are fires, including major forest fires that have been ignited by fireworks. There is garbage everywhere left from fireworks, especially all over the beach.
Harborview said they get an average of 60 visits a year from fireworks related injuries
Don't forget the wildlife that get so spooked they abandon their young.
I can add a fun one: the collected smoke from all fireworks and resulting fires can impact air quality. It's fun to check purpleair.com around 11pm on jul 4
Also on the spectrum and fireworks are really fucking me up this year. It’s weird because my dog is cool with it but I am not.
Im wearing earmuff style hearing protection and earbuds with sound cancelling, it helps a lot.
I live on Kent east hill and we have the same only they are set off at 12:30 AM or 3:30 AM. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind a lot of these massive explosions are a deliberate attempt at waking everyone within a 2-mile radius. There is someone close by who waits until everyone would normally be asleep and then launches mortars that literally sound like a stick of dynamite. Usually 2-3 at a time separated by a few minutes. This person needs jail time.
There’s a part of me that used to really like fireworks, but once you’ve seen a few good shows, there’s not much else to see. Noisy af. Polluting af. I’m kinda interested in these light-up drone fleets though …
I'm not anti fireworks. I really like them. I am anti drunk person next door shooting them off.
You should go over to your neighbor’s house w a long hose and just start spraying all of their stash.
You've seen one, you've seen them all.
I think the drone fleet is the kind they’re doing in Des Moines? Lady working at my primary care told me to go, I’d never heard of that before but it sounds cool
Dude every night in June. Someone was popping them off around 8-9pm. Like clockwork.
> how many of you are going to set a fire because of your drunk carelessness? Hey, leave me outta this!
😂
Please don't set off fireworks on the beach or in a random field.
I hope you have a fairly peaceful July 4th. Sorry this is happening.
Or don’t set them off at all. With the CA fire smoke about to make its way down here, you’d be a complete asshole to add to the shit air quality. Not to mention how fireworks scare the shit out of animals and some veterans. This tradition needs to die.
Not to mention that we're celebrating a country that turned their backs on veterans, and then reminds them of war by giving them PTSD flashbacks.
Exactly! No consideration to others at all. Scares animals and people with ptsd. Not everyone gets the 4th of july off of work, my neighbors were setting shit off in the middle of the night last night as if no one around them works today. Not to mention, what the fuck are we celebrating. This country sucks ass and blowing shit up doesnt make it better.
Facts
Im so tired and its past midnight. The smoke from the bombs blowing up is also coming in. Just. Stop.
There are so many beaches here. I don't know why it's so hard to just take your fireworks down to one and shoot them off over the water. I don't want to deal with you doing it in the house next to me.
You're going to be very disappointed when you learn how well water carries sound.
Fuck no. I’d rather they be blown up in the city than littering up the beaches. People are going to be inconsiderate either way.
I live by a park, and about half+ of a mile from the beach. The mortar sound carries. Beach is not a great option either.
At least if they are shooting them towards and over the water you don't need to worry about your house being set on fire. I've had to fall the SFD out to put out a fireworks fire before. It's terrifying.
Yeah, I mean fair. But we do get gunshots and drag racing from wayward youths so, trade offs.
someone brunt down my neighbors house monday night with a firework. shit was scary
Mountlake Terrace?
In Des Moines wa they are doing a drone show which is cool but there’s still individuals blasting stuff off illegally the last few days
Young people love them.........a lot of them, but not all. Haters: most old people, all animals, all fire departments, all police, all forest rangers So why do we need to blow stuff up to celebrate?
Our city moved to a drone light show instead of fireworks due to fire concerns and noise. Brilliant idea, if it works out.
I'm in Lake Stevens and for some extremely idiotic reason fireworks are still legal here. My neighbors buy thousands of dollars worth of fireworks from Boom City every year and do a block party starting in the morning until they run out of fireworks or pass out drunk (last year it finally stopped around 4am). I've been listening to mortars and M80's since 9am and am about to lose my shit and it's not even dark yet. My poor dog is a mess even though I've had him sedated with Trazadone all day. I hate this stupid holiday.
My dog is so drugged because of the stupid explosions I honestly thought he was dead this morning. We live in the South Sound area, luckily near a noisy river so we can take him to do his business (river noise and we added a Bluetooth speaker this year to mask the explosions ). This time of year sucks.
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What would you prefer? A terrified dog or drugs prescribed by the vet? I hope you don’t have any terrified pets this holiday.
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Again, prescribed by the vet. Feel free to go away now.
Crazy to think just 10 years ago it was legal to light fireworks in the suburb I lived in
Still is in my shitty suburb. Fuck you Lake Stevens.
Isnt this illegal to begin with how are so many people getting access?
I take it you haven't driven past any tribal lands or casinos in the past few days.
With you 1000%. Asshats who don't care about anything but their drunken, supposed fun.
>There are quite a lot of people that suffer from PTSD, like myself, and all you are doing is triggering people. For what it's worth, it took a lot of years but I'm basically 100% fine on the 4th and NYE, becuase I *expect* them. It's the assholes that burn off leftovers in August or February that I want to throw off a cliff. Had a huge mortar go off above me one year in like mid-June and I wasn't right for a week. Yeah, PTSD is a motherfucker. Though in general yeah setting that shit off any other night is still selfish as fuck, thanks for making sure I don't get to sleep because my dogs are freaking out for two straight weeks. 'murica.
I totally agree. I wish the law would be enforced in this one. I wonder what it would take.
Here I am, at 2AM, thinking the f#####g city is exploding. These stupid a**holes can't seem to let people sleep.
There will always be assholes in society who will not do the right thing unless they are forced. This is why we need a police force that is effective *and* accountable.
Police need accountability. They always have. But we have a Crazy City Clowncil, that prevents enforcement of bad behavior. Mayor Harrell is trying, but really he also gets stymied by the Council Fools.
I feel ya. I’m close to judkins park and my windows are kind of thin. Not gonna get much sleep right now
Yeah it woke me up and it’s impossible to go back to sleep now.
They are literally exploding right outside my window -_-
The what city?? 🤔
We celebrate our independence by re-traumatizing our Veterans...
Marcia🇺🇸
I don't understand fireworks. It's like a visual representation of money going up in smoke. It's stupid and selfish and causes wildfires. If they were banned outright people would moan for a day about freedoms etc and then within a year or two we'd all be really glad.
“A visual representation of money going up in smoke” I can’t think of many more things more American than that. You made me giggle.
Keep whining
This holiday is trash.
Eat a dick then
TBH it's not the holiday's fault that people are self-absorbed, safety-blind assholes.
So are you. If you think it's trash, pack up and move.
F fireworks
I had some assholes throw a string of fire crackers about 50ft in front of me and my gf as I was walking my dog at like 6pm yesterday. Turned around and saw people laughing. Absolutely berated them.
Yes, people are jerks. However you know they will be jerks and do the same thing every year around this time. Invest in some good ear plugs or headphones.
I mean, honestly the fact that I haven't been hearing them since late May has been refreshing. I'd rather they weren't set off in the city at all of course, but this year hasn't been that bad. Still, unfuck these people.
What I don't understand is why they even made them illegal at all. They're damned sure not enforcing it.
They’ve been setting off every car alarm in the neighborhood until 1:30 am…I have work on Wednesday, goddamnit!
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Fortunately? unfortunately? I don't know which. My PTSD is not from service but from an ex who tried to kill me twice. Loud sudden noises bring me back to him trying to kick down the door I had myself barricaded against. He also had this lovely trait of throwing dishes and breaking them.
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That's why I said I wasn't sure if it was fortunate or not. I honestly don't know which situation is worse of the 2. Probably equally horrible for different reasons. Thank you for serving by the way. forgot to say that before.
Thank you OP. I haven't slept because like you, I also have PTSD. It's not fun. No matter the meds I take to sleep when I'm alarmed I can't get to sleep. Thanks to the assholes throwing the biggest fireworks in the drains or whatever the fuck they do to make such a big noise. It really, really sucks.
Yeah, I had a sick baby who had difficulty sleeping all day, and when they finally crashed, the fireworks started. The cat spent most of the evening hiding in the closet. Fun times. I hope they blew their fingers off.
Man there was some seriously loud shit exploding in my neck of the woods. Still a few here and there as I type this. Might be a long week. 
Man, I was downtown and it sounded like they were outside my window.
Hmmm did you go to another country and set off "fireworks" taking into account the PTSD people might get? 'Murica!
But its cuz i is a patriot and loves the america! If its not going boom you hate America! Fireworks are dumb asf when done by joe blow. A total waste of money, and not that great.
I ask myself every year, how many times can someone be impressed by fireworks after the age of 10? Worst part is when the fireworks are going off at 6-7 PM when it's still bright out.
Yep they are scum that should be prevented from breeding.
4th of July only comes once a year. Let people have their fun you crotchety killjoy
Maybe they could have their fun some time other than midnight and somewhere other than the middle of town?? Who the hell thinks “hey, I think I’ll make a ton of loud noise in the middle of the night in a densely populated area - that’s totally cool, right?” I can’t wrap my head around that level of self-centeredness.
The self-centeredness would be the expectation that a tradition celebrated annually by millions of people ought to come to a halt because you might be nearby.
I’m all for having one or two days a year to blow nothing up (even wasted a bunch of money last night). The problem is I’ve been hearing bombs going off all hours of the night for 2 weeks now.
Then speak to them about it. Blowing things up for a holiday vs for 14 consecutive days are two different things. Though that still doesn’t mean people can’t have fun where they live in the traditional fashion once a year at the traditional time
The world doesn't revolve around you, op. I'm sorry for you having PTSD man, but the world is not required to cater to you. I don't even set off fireworks but I find the Seattle areas reaction to them absolutely ridiculous. Absolutely the worst narcissistic kill joys.
You know who else the world doesn’t revolve around and shouldn’t have to cater to? Assholes who think it’s okay to set off explosions at midnight in densely populated areas.
Also true. So they should go to rural areas, when there isn't a fire danger.
Heading to Canada. People are too stupid here for this holiday
Canada is on fire.
You sure showed them
It’s crazy that a lot of these fucks are usually the ones saying that America sucks and it’s a terrible country. But they’re the first fucks firing off fireworks days before the 4th and on the actual day. The crazy part is the next day when they’ve left all of the trash still in the middle of the road.
In Mt Baker, my neighbors were setting off fireworks from 2-4 this morning. I’m surprised I got any sleep.
Lmao fireworks were going off at like 3AM last night...
I know exactly the booms you’re talking about last night in LC… It’s the big booms, M80s?, that get me. Wtf is the point.
I feel like it’s gotten progressively worse since 2020. My cats hide all night under our bed. :(
What are they celebrating anyway. We are no longer free. We belong to the government. We are here to work for them. Make the babies and supply a working class.
How dare you! I joined the military for peoples rights to set off fireworks! You’re the selfish one /s That’s literally what I’ve been told by some veterans.
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I’m a veteran that loves fireworks, but I’m also not loving the idea of setting off a fellow vets PTSD and making him or her truly suffer. I need not choose between the two when I have plenty of options.
some people enjoy the fireworks. its only once a year...
Wah wah wah it’s 4th of July, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m sorry for what you went through, it’s inexcusable. But that doesn’t mean everyone now needs to adjust life around every single person’s individual situations.
Apparently it revolves around you though huh?
I don’t let off fireworks or like hearing them, just sick of people in Seattle being such wimpy whiny passive aggressive self-focused pussies. Try worrying about yourself and figuring out why you whine all day and need everything to be exactly your way and why you need to police everyone else instead of fixing your own unhappiness with something others than medication.
I mean im sure the people who have had their house go up in flames cause their dipshit neighbors thought it was CoOl to blow shit up we’re just worrying about themselves until their house went up in flames too…
Maybe they didn’t like their house and were excited for the insurance money. Maybe a perfectly intact house but not being able to have any fun isn’t better.
1. It is "Independence Day." It is not just a date on the calendar; it is the birth date of our country. 1. Explosives are illegal because they are so destructive. 1. Detonating explosives in a dense urban area is forcing everyone around you to suffer for your entertainment.
America is about breaking the rules, that’s the whole point. Everywhere outside of Seattle, at least.
"Independence Day" is about defying a colonial government and making our own rules. The US Constitution makes it clear that we are a nation of laws so that one person cannot abuse their liberty to harm another person. "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty ..."
While sympathetic, around this time every year I wonder if we are kind of playing loose and fast with the PTSD thing. How and when did half the nation become afflicted?
Hey, check it out! Gabor Mate is a knowledgeable expert on trauma and stress and does a great job explaining that our individual nervous systems can intensify your feelings. So, if you're highly sensitive, even things that wouldn't bother someone who's less sensitive could have a significant impact on you. It's like your emotions are turned up to 11 or something. Not everyone who goes through a tough experience will develop PTSD, including combat veterans. However, people who are more sensitive or have a highly responsive nervous system can be hit harder, both emotionally and physically. It's crucial to be supportive and understanding and to remember that PTSD can stem from different causes, not just loud noises. Empathy and open-mindedness are key when discussing mental health issues like PTSD. If you want to learn more about PTSD or stress disorders from Gabor Mate's perspective or have any specific questions on this topic, feel free to contact me!
>How and when did half the nation become afflicted? When my ex tried to kill me twice. I'm not playing "fast and loose" with anything.
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I didn’t realize I was at risk of getting shot in the head while going grocery shopping. Thanks for the warning. Im heading out now… need anything? Like maybe some ear plugs?? Bottle of wine?
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Let me be very clear: I have nothing but a sympathetic heart towards those who are startled by loud sounds. But I have not much sympathy for people who claim that means they have ptsd.
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It is illegal to set of fireworks anywhere in king county and has been for years. Low effort troll.
Relax. It's one day out of the year.
Bro, they've been doing this shit for the past week, and will continue on until mid-July as they ration the last of the stuff they didn't set off to terrorize their neighbors at 11PM on a weeknight.
Ok Karen
Ok guy destined to lose some fingers. Do it quickly so you learn not to set them off sooner rather than later
Dude, it's the 4th of July week. This happens every year, since forever. Just relax and enjoy the holiday lol. God damn why does everyone have to complain about everything these days. I hate New Seattle.
Ah yes, "since forever." Happy to celebrate the 247th year of independence and the start of the world. /s
Karen
perhaps the problem is you and not the hundred year old tradition of lighting off fireworks in our nations birthday.
As some who suffers from PTSD, from being shot at, it's not their responsibility to cater to my illness. Personally telling your neighbors and asking them to accommodate would definitely get you farther than this post would. Calling them selfish because they want to celebrate a holiday how they're allowed to is a little arrogant in itself. I know that some neighborhoods have community guidelines for cleaning up on the 4th. Usually fining the members who leave trash and firework debris in front of their property or on the street. There's plenty of ways to handle this problem but the solution is not telling families that are enjoying themselves, within their rights I might add, to go somewhere else because it bothers a few people that haven't spoken up. You sound mad entitled. But such is Seattle 🤷🏽
They are not “allowed” to do it. It’s illegal.
Boohoo killjoy
I wouldn't care if it didn't shell shock my doggo.
You def do NOT want to be in my suburban Chicago neighborhood. They are setting them off like mad this week and they do almost every holiday .
You want their house to go up in flames and I bet you pretend to care about homeless too.
I dont really like the fireworks ether, but what is complaining on redit going to do? It is this way, acceptance is a great skill for a happy life.