Neighbors pull man from burning apartment

ISSUING OFFICER: Mike Inman / Battalion Chief DATE OF INCIDENT: 6/16/2008 INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire INCIDENT ADDRESS: 1221 1/2 S. Division CITY: Spokane STATE: WA ZIP: 99202 NARRATIVE: At 11:54 am on Monday June 16, 2008 the Spokane Fire Department responded to a reported apartment fire at 1221 ½ S. Division. The initial reports to the responding crews was that flames and smoke were seen coming from an apartment and bystanders had removed a victim which they were doing CPR on. The first advanced life support apparatus on scene with Paramedics was assigned to patient care while the other firefighting crews were taking care of the fire. A quick knockdown was attained by a rapid deployment of a 1 ¾ inch attack line. The fire was confined to the apartment of origin with minimal fire damage to the apartment. Fire damage was mostly on the carpet near the bed with smoke damage throughout the apartment. 32 Firefighters responded on numerous apparatus with Chief's staff due to the report of CPR being performed on the victim by private citizens. The patient was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with a strong pulse but still in respiratory arrest. His condition is unknown at this time. The quick actions of the private citizens appear to have saved the residents life by getting the victim out of the apartment then intervening with CPR. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental but is under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department SIU. PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation DAMAGE EXTENT: Fire damage to a piece of the carpet in the vicinity of the bed and smoke damage throughout the apartment. The fire and smoke did not extend outside of the apartment of origin. DOLLAR LOSS: 1000 FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 32 MUTUAL AID: None Given For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at http://www.blogger.com/www.spokanefire.blogspot.com END OF RELEASE