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Father refuses to let girls leave apartment during fire
Caught on bodycam, King County deputies discovered three young girls trapped on a balcony while responding to an apartment fire, because their father wouldn't let them open the door to escape.
BURIEN, Wash. - A Burien man is facing criminal charges after King County sheriff’s deputies forced their way into a smoke-filled apartment and rescued three children who said he blocked them from leaving during a fire.
The backstory:
The incident occurred June 23 at the Burien Square Apartments on South 152nd Street after firefighters responded to reports of smoke coming from a unit.
According to King County Sheriff’s Office body camera footage and court records, firefighters requested law enforcement assistance when residents inside the apartment refused to open the door.
King County Sheriff’s Office bodycam of Burien apartment fire
Dispatch recordings indicate firefighters reported smoke coming from the unit while occupants would not allow emergency crews inside.
Deputies learned that three girls, ages 17, 12 and 4, were standing on a balcony and told first responders that their father would not let them leave the apartment.
Under Washington law, law enforcement officers may enter a residence without a warrant when they reasonably believe someone inside faces an imminent threat of serious physical harm.
After repeated warnings and commands to open the door, deputies forced entry into the apartment. Authorities said the doorway had been barricaded with speakers.
As deputies breached the door, they reported seeing a knife near the entrance and encountered layers of smoke inside the apartment. Body camera footage showed burned flooring near the entryway and smoke lingering throughout the unit.
Deputies announced their presence several times before entering deeper into the apartment, where they found 45-year-old Jose Bonilla Landa lying on a bed with a towel covering his face.
King County Sheriff’s Office bodycam of Burien apartment fire
Officers took Bonilla Landa into custody and rescued the three children and the family’s dog from the apartment.
King County District Court records show Burien prosecutors charged Bonilla Landa with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Investigators described the living conditions inside the apartment as hazardous. According to deputies, garbage was piled inside the bathtub and toilets were backed up.
King County Sheriff’s Office bodycam of Burien apartment fire
Authorities were unable to determine whether the fire had been intentionally set. Investigators believe the blaze likely originated from a lithium-ion battery connected to an electric scooter that had previously been damaged in another fire.
The children’s mother was not home at the time of the incident. Deputies said she later told investigators the family would stay with relatives until they were able to return to the apartment.
No serious injuries were reported.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the King County Sheriff's Office, court documents filed in King County Superior Court, and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.