SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

Civilian Rescues in a North Battalion Residence Fire

Incident #:  2011047330
Date of Incident:  11/20/2011
Issuing Officer:  AC Schaeffer

Narrative:
On Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 9:27AM, 6 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 1 Senior Ladder, 4 Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Fielder and Brown, responded to a Structure Fire at 1300 East Carlisle Avenue. While enroute to the incident, companies from Station 2 reported heavy smoke showing as they departed the Station and upgraded the incident to a working fire. Spokane Firefighters arrived within 5-minutes to find a two-story, wood frame residence with heavy smoke and fire showing from both the first and second floors of the house. The first due Engine and Ladder went to work immediately after arriving and secured water supply and stretched hose leads in attempt to contain the fire's progress and protect living areas in the house. Other companies were directed by the Battalion Chief to attend to multiple injured civilians (four in total) suffering from a range of injuries from the fire. Simultaneously the Ladder Company searched under heavy smoke/fire conditions for any other savable civilians and ventilated the fire from the roof. The fire was extinguished within 30-minutes and companies are still on-scene at the time of this release. Traffic in the neighborhood is expected to be impacted through the afternoon as companies overhaul

Cause:
The cause is under investigation by the Fire Department's SIU.

Damage:
In the early stages of the fire, prior to the Fire Department's arrival, a 25 year old mother and 1 year old child were trapped on the second floor and had self-rescued through a window on the address side of the house. Due to the heavy fire conditions advancing to the second floor, the mother was forced to drop her child from the window to awaiting neighbor in the front yard. After successfully catching the child, the mother also jumped from the second floor and was assisted by neighbors. The third occupant, a grandmother, was trapped on the first floor unable to escape due to the violent atmosphere inside the house. A neighbor successfully broke a first-floor window and pulled out the grandmother as the Fire Department arrived. Damage was limited primarily the interior of the first and second floors; however the overall structural integrity appears to be compromised and will need to be evaluated. The displaced family is receiving assistance from the Inland NW Chapter of the American Red Cross.

# Firefighters Responding: 24

Dollar Loss: $75000

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002