The City of Bellevue launched an investigation after a landslide caused an occupied house to slide off its foundation and collapse on Jan. 17. Officials said the investigation could take weeks or even months to determine the cause of the landslide.
"Our focus right now is initiating an investigation on what happened with that slide, and there’s a number of different possibilities. Regarding financial responsibility, that’s going to be assessed in the coming weeks and months," said Linda De Boldt, Bellevue’s utilities assistant director. Officials confirmed a water main break occurred near the home. The city said several 911 calls were received around 4 a.m. on Jan. 17 reporting water flowing down the street and hillside near 139th Place Southeast and Southeast 51st Place in the Somerset neighborhood.
The city said when first responders arrived, the occupied home was partially collapsed. Firefighters helped homeowner John Surdi rescue his wife and dog who were stuck inside.