King County sheriff’s deputies forced their way into a smoke-filled apartment in Burien, Washington, after three young girls told first responders that their father would not let them open the door and escape during a fire.
FOX 13 Seattle reporter David Rose said the June 23 emergency unfolded at the Burien Square Apartments on South 152nd Street, where firefighters saw smoke coming from a unit but could not get the people inside to let them enter.
The girls, ages 17, 12, and 4, were standing on a balcony while smoke remained inside the apartment. Deputies eventually breached the barricaded front door, arrested their father, and rescued the children along with the family dog.
No serious injuries were reported.
Firefighters Call Deputies for Help
Rose reported that firefighters first asked the King County Sheriff’s Office to assist after arriving at the apartment complex and finding that residents would not open the door.
Dispatch audio captured the growing concern.
“There’s smoke coming from the unit, but the residents refusing to open the door for the fire department,” a responder said.
Firefighters had already tried speaking with the man inside, but he allegedly told them to leave and said he did not need help.
The situation became much more urgent when deputies learned that three girls were trapped on the balcony and claimed their father was preventing them from getting out.
At that point, the issue was no longer simply an uncooperative resident refusing entry. Children were inside a burning or smoke-filled home with no clear path to safety.
Deputies Warn Father Before Breaking In
Rose explained that Washington law allows officers to enter a home without a warrant when they reasonably believe someone inside is facing an immediate threat of serious physical harm.
Deputies repeatedly ordered the occupants to open the door.
“We’re coming in,” one officer warned. “It’s the last chance or I’m breaking the door down. Open the door.”
When no one complied, officers forced entry.
Authorities said the doorway had been blocked with speakers, making it harder for firefighters or deputies to enter quickly.
As the door came open, one deputy spotted a knife near the entrance and warned the others.
“He’s got a knife,” the deputy said, before noting that the weapon appeared to have been left on the floor.
The presence of a barricade, smoke, and a knife near the entry created a dangerous mix for everyone involved. Deputies had to move fast enough to reach the children while still treating the apartment as a possible threat scene.
Smoke and Burn Damage Found Inside
Body-camera footage showed officers pausing near the doorway and announcing themselves before moving farther into the unit.
“Sheriff’s office,” a deputy called. “Anybody inside, make yourself known.”
They received no clear response.
Rose said officers found burned flooring near the entrance and layers of smoke throughout the apartment.
The conditions showed why waiting outside was not a reasonable option. Even without open flames visible in every room, smoke can overcome people quickly, especially young children who are frightened, confused, or unable to leave on their own.
The officers moved through the apartment and eventually found 45-year-old Jose Bonilla Landa lying on a bed with a towel covering his face.
One deputy announced that he was going “hands on” before officers ordered Bonilla Landa to get down.
He told them his hand was injured, but deputies took him into custody.
Three Girls and a Dog Rescued
After securing the father, officers turned their attention to the children.
Body-camera footage showed deputies guiding the girls inside from the balcony and reassuring them that their dog was safe.
“Come in, come in,” one deputy said. “Your dog’s okay.”
The three girls were brought out of the apartment along with the animal while officers confirmed that no one else remained inside.
The rescue was completed without reports of serious injury, despite the smoke and delayed access.
That outcome is fortunate, but it should not hide how dangerous the situation had become. Children trapped on a balcony during a fire may have only minutes before smoke, heat, or changing flames remove their remaining options.
The fact that the oldest girl was 17 did not make the situation safe, especially with a 12-year-old and a 4-year-old depending on the adults around them.
Father Faces Four Criminal Charges
Rose reported that Burien prosecutors charged Bonilla Landa with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer.
Each count carries a maximum possible punishment of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
The charges are allegations, and Bonilla Landa will have the opportunity to answer them in court.
Prosecutors appear to be focusing on the danger allegedly created for each child, along with his refusal to cooperate with emergency personnel trying to enter the apartment.
The case raises a simple but important point: during a fire, refusing access does not affect only the person making that decision. It can trap children, delay firefighters, and force police to spend critical time breaking through a barricade instead of helping victims.
Investigators Find Deplorable Living Conditions
Deputies described the apartment’s interior as deplorable.
According to Rose, garbage was piled in the bathtub and the toilets were backed up.
Those conditions were separate from the fire itself, but they added to concerns about the environment in which the children had been living.
A home filled with garbage and unusable plumbing can create health risks even before an emergency starts. During a fire, clutter may also block movement, hide hazards, and make rescue work more difficult.
The report did not say whether child welfare authorities took additional action, but the girls’ mother later told deputies they would stay with relatives until the family could return to the apartment.
She was not home when the fire occurred.
Damaged Scooter Battery May Have Started the Fire
Investigators could not determine whether the fire had been deliberately set.
However, they believe it may have started with a lithium-ion battery attached to an electric scooter that had already been damaged in a previous fire.
That detail is especially troubling because a battery with known prior damage can remain unstable. Lithium-ion batteries may reignite, overheat, or fail without much warning once their internal cells have been compromised.
The report did not explain why the damaged scooter or battery was still inside the apartment, but its presence may have created a preventable risk.
This is where the case becomes more than a story about one refusal to open a door. It also involves warning signs that appear to have existed before the emergency, including unsafe living conditions and equipment that may already have been damaged by fire.
A Rescue Made Possible by Forced Entry
Rose’s FOX 13 report showed deputies making a decision that officers generally try to avoid: breaking into a private home without a warrant.
In this case, the smoke, the trapped children, and the father’s refusal to cooperate gave them reason to believe someone could be seriously harmed if they waited.
The body-camera footage captured the tension of that choice. Deputies did not immediately rush through the doorway without warning; they called out, gave the occupants another chance to open the door, and then entered when the danger remained.
Their actions ultimately led to the rescue of three girls and a dog.
The incident could have ended much differently if firefighters and deputies had accepted the father’s refusal and left. Instead, they treated the children’s statements and the visible smoke as the emergency they were.
Bonilla Landa now faces criminal charges, while the girls are expected to remain with family until the apartment is considered safe again.
For the responding officers, the legal question was answered by the danger in front of them: three children were trapped above a smoky apartment, and the adult responsible for them allegedly would not let them leave.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.
