DATE OF INCIDENT: 9/5/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Multiple Alarms
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 1838 East South Riverton Avenue
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99217
NARRATIVE: On Saturday September 4, 2010 at 2:31 AM, 7 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 4 Engines, 2 Senior Ladders, 1 Heavy Rescue, under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Cornelius and Haworth Structure Fire responded to an apartment fire at 1838 East South Riverton Avenue.
First arriving firefighters rapidly coordinated the evacuation and rescue of the dozens of occupants who were attempting to flee the building. As additional SFD crews arrived, they methodically searched the 170' x 70' three-story apartment building and removed many occupants from ladders and through exits.
The fire traveled quickly throughout the roof and the third floor. Ladder companies immediately vertically vented the fire from above as engines stretched multiple hoselines to the fire floors to successfully stop the fire's progress.
As a result of the fire and a need to secure utilities, 21 apartment units were deemed temporarily untenable. Assisting 60 residents in their need for temporary accommodations were staff from the building's management and volunteers from the Spokane Chapter of the American Red Cross. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.
PROBABLE CAUSE: The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental and attributed to carelessly discarded smoking materials on the exterior deck of a third-floor unit. The tenant discarded a cigarette into a planter of potting soil; which smoldered until reaching a flaming stage. Contributing to the fire's rapid spread was that tenant also stored gas operated yard/garden tools on the deck. They also had a plastic one gallon gasoline container stored on the deck surface in close proximity to the planter. The remnants of the fuel container were located on the deck with fuel still inside. The vinyl siding also contributed to the rapid fire spread to the soffit and internal roof system.
DAMAGE EXTENT: There is extensive damage to the third floor throughout the entire building. Power to the building has been shut down and controlled by Avista. FD Command Staff are remaining on site to assist residents in retrieving their personal effects until morning when the structural integrity of the roof will be determined. Residents may be able to reoccupy limited areas later this afternoon depending on the result of the structural evaluation.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE:
MUTUAL AID: Fire District 1, Fire District 9
For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com
END OF RELEASE
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