Landslide damages home in Maple Valley, but owner grateful no one hurt and his dog is 'wagging her tail'
MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. -- Homeowner Terry Connell says he’s grateful no one was hurt after a landslide damaged his home Thursday afternoon.
Connell stopped by late in the evening to see what’s left of his property and pick up his dog.
“Dog was hiding in a crawlspace area, so we just had to find her and get her out. She’s good and she’s wagging her tail and having a good time,” says Connell.
The landslide slammed into his garage, which in turn, crashed into his home. His house is at the very end of a private, winding road that leads to the Cedar River.
Fire officials say they uncovered the massive slide while checking out a gas leak.
“A big section of the hill behind us here slopped off. It ended up taking out a garage and pushed the garage into the house, which rolled a 499-gallon propane tank, which created the leak,” says Battalion Chief Dave Bille with Maple Valley Fire.
Other neighbors were advised to evacuate just as a precaution. And while fire officials say they are working with geologists to survey the safety of the land, the heavy rain and melting snow are causing ground to give way in other parts of Western Washington.
The city of Puyallup had a landslide that closed East Pioneer at 33rd Street SE.
And Bothell Police say a smaller slide forced another street closure.
And in Mason County, a similar scene, after a mudslide blocked SR 106.