Seattle, WA
VIDEO: Gas thieves cause truck explosion in North Seattle
Truck explodes after thieves steal gas in Seattle
Video surveillance obtained by FOX 13 Seattle shows two men attempting to siphon gas from a truck on Aurora Avenue, causing a vehicle to explode.
SEATTLE – Two gas thieves caused major damage Sunday while attempting to siphon gas from truck in North Seattle. Police are now investigating along with the Fire Marshal.
Video surveillance obtained by FOX 13 Seattle shows two men attempting to steal gas from a truck on Aurora Avenue N. near N. 107th Street.
“They were clearly stealing gas for whatever reason,” said Russ Saunders. “This isn’t the first time people have taken gas.”
But it is the first time a fleet vehicle belonging to Saunders’ family-owned business has gone up in flames.
“It was a huge fireball that exploded on people,” said Saunders. “They drove off in a vehicle that was on fire.”
Saunders is a second-generation owner of Handy Andy Rent-A-Tool.
“We’ve been here since the 80s,” he told FOX 13 Seattle.
Sunday’s truck explosion set the business back $50,000.
“One truck, the interior wall is badly damaged,” said Saunders. “That’ll cost $10,000 just to replace it, if I replace it. The other truck — it’s a complete loss.”
Footage from multiple security cameras show two men pull up in a work truck.
“We learned it was also stolen from another company,” said Saunders. “They literally drove away on fire.”
According to police, that vehicle was later found abandoned.
“What happened Sunday was just the tail end of everything,” said Saunders. “In an eight-day period this month, I was burglarized, I lost $10,000 worth of equipment, and I’ve had five trucks stolen. Now this.”
He told FOX 13 Seattle crime on Aurora Avenue has gotten out of control.
“It’s like the criminals know they can get away with things,” said Saunders. “Unfortunately, without the necessary police to come out and patrol this area, the criminals are running amok.”
Saunders, along with a handful of other business owners, are hoping Seattle’s recent approval of video surveillance cameras will help police track down criminals. He’s looking forward to camera installation along Aurora Avenue.
“I see it as another tool,” he said. “Hopefully that’ll help them when they’re trying to connect the criminals to the crimes, and it can help them get out and respond faster.”
Seattle Police have not made any arrests in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011. The case number is 24-283634.
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Seattle, WA
Seattle fans pack waterfront hours early as USA defeats Australia, advances in World Cup
SEATTLE — Soccer fans descended on Seattle’s waterfront well before kickoff Friday, staking out their spots early to watch a highly anticipated World Cup matchup at Seattle Stadium between the United States and Australia. That patience paid off as Team USA won the match and now advances to the knockout round.
The atmosphere at Pier 62 was electric from the start, with fans lining up for prime viewing positions, whether down on the water’s edge or taking in the sweeping scene from the waterfront overlook above.
“I mean, look at all these people that are here hours beforehand to celebrate this incredible game,” said Paul Hanson, who was rooting for Team USA. “The hairs are going up on the arm.”
The energy was a draw in itself.
“The energy is amazing, everyone’s in a great mood, it’s just a lot of fun to be down here,” Maggie McNeil said.
Not everyone in the crowd was wearing red, white, and blue.
Lizzie Manning hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is now living in the Pacific Northwest.
Manning told KOMO News she hasn’t been back home in nearly a decade, but taking in the U.S.A-Australia match with the waterfront crowd gave her a taste of it.
“Whenever I see another Australian I’m like, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, oy oy oy,’” she said. “I feel so close to home. I need a meat pie, life’s good.”
“I’ve met so many people who are visiting from other countries,” Seattle resident Maddie Chaplain said. “I sat next to a couple yesterday who was eating dumplings for the first time from Argentina, that was so awesome.”
With Team USA advancing, fans like Aaron Olson say they’ll be back for more.
“USA’s gonna win it,” Olson said. “I will come down here every game. This is spectacular.”
The World Cup watch parties continue on Pier 62 throughout the tournament. They are free and open to the public with online registration, but capacity is limited.
Seattle News Weekly S1E44: FIFA Frenzy hits the PNW
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is off and running as Seattle prepares to host the United States vs. Australia match on Friday. With more matches to be played in the Emerald City after that, FOX 13’s David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane are taking a closer look at the biggest stories surrounding the international tournament. Dan is hearing from fans on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to turn on CCTV cameras during the World Cup, Austin is taking a deeper dive into why ties are a good thing in the group stage, and David revisits the lessons learned from the first match hosted in Seattle between Egypt and Belgium.
SEATTLE – The FIFA World Cup has taken Seattle by storm, bringing global excitement to our city and visitors from across the world.
On this week’s episode of the ‘Seattle News Weekly’ podcast, David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane discuss the top headlines of the week that have emerged alongside the buzz about the FIFA World Cup 2026.
A Massive Tournament Expansion
The hosts open the podcast with a discussion on how historically large this year’s FIFA World Cup is compared to years past. Expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), the tournament features a record 104 matches over 39 days across 16 host cities. Seattle is hosting six of those matches.
Austin explains the value of “ties” in the group stage—especially with the new format where 32 teams advance to the knockout stage instead of 16—meaning a single point from a tie carries significant weight.
At the time of recording, the US had already defeated Paraguay and is preparing to face Australia at “Seattle Stadium,” where a win would guarantee advancement.
Transit Tactics
Dan Griffin reports on the city’s transit system, noting that while the light rail is moving a massive influx of people smoothly, transit authorities are actively “throttling” passengers.
This practice involves controlling crowd flow onto platforms to ensure safety, which has caused wait times of over an hour for some fans on TikTok. Transit officials recommend that fans walk to stations slightly further away from the stadium district to get moving faster.
The CCTV Security Debate
The hosts talk about how security is a major focal point. The FBI has already had to confiscate drones being flown illegally downtown. More prominently, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson activated controversial closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Stadium District following “general but credible threats” identified by law enforcement.
While an activist group called Community, Not Cameras expressed fears that the surveillance puts vulnerable populations at risk due to federal agency presence, visitors and fans interviewed largely welcomed the extra layer of security. The cameras are expected to be turned off after the World Cup concludes.
Cultural Celebrations and Fan Experiences
The hosts play a clip from reporter Lauren Donovan who provides a colorful look at the fan festivities happening in the city. She highlights the “March to the Match,” describing Monday morning where Belgian fans swarmed Victory Hall alongside middle school band directors from the Stanwood-Camano district who were recruited to drum for them.
She also joins celebrating Egyptian fans, whose match against Belgium ended in an enthusiastic tie. The hosts note that international fans (like those from Australia) are already flooding local attractions, including Seattle Mariners baseball games, turning the sporting event into a broader West Coast vacation.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
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To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
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