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

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Craig Cornelius
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/19/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2724 E. Boone Ave.
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99202

NARRATIVE: At 7:07 PM on Friday, February 19, 2010 the Spokane Fire Department responded 5 engines, 2 ladder trucks, 1 rescue truck and 2 Battalion Chiefs to a reported house fire at 2724 E. Boone Ave. The first crew on scene reported heavy fire and smoke from all openings of a single family house. While crews attacked the fire, other crews performed a search of the house to confirm there was no one trapped inside. The fire was knocked down within 10 minutes but crews remained on scene for several hours removing burned contents and pulling ceilings and walls, checking for any hidden pockets of fire. One civilian was treated by Spokane Fire Department paramedics for moderate smoke inhalation and was and transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center. It was not known at the time of this report whether the 35 year old male victim was an occupant of the house. Damage to the house was extensive and will not be able to be occupied until repairs can be made.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The fire was investigated by the Spokane Fire Department's Special Investigation Unit and determined to be accidentally caused by carelessly discarded smoking material.
DAMAGE EXTENT: There was extensive damage to the house and its contents.
DOLLAR LOSS: 75000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 28
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

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

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/17/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 3004 N. Crestline
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99208

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. dispatched fire fighting crews and their apparatus to 3004 N. Crestline at 11:38 hrs. on Wednesday, February 17th, to a reported structure fire. The first arriving fire company reported a 2 story wood/frame apartment building with heavy fire showing out the second floor windows at the rear of the structure. The Officer in charge of that first in company immediately began making assignments to the other in-coming fire crews and as those apparatus arrived on scene the fire fighters began working on those assigned tasks. Those initial assignments included fire attack, securing a hydrant for water supply, laddering the building, search and rescue, horizontal and vertical ventilation, a dedicated back-up hose line to protect those fire fighters who have entered the building to begin fire attack in the building, exposure protection, safety, and the State mandated Rapid Intervention Team whose sole purpose on the fire scene is to be in a position to rescue injured or lost fire fighters. This was the second fire to occur in this building within the last 5 weeks, early in January of this year a second alarm fire tore through another second floor apartment on the opposite side of the building from today's fire. The entire building had been vacated because of the damage suffered in the first fire, utilities had been disconnected, and many of the windows were boarded up. The interior of this building presented fire fighters with multiple safety concerns since areas of the floor were missing and the light-weight construction of the flat roof structural assembly had been seriously compromised by the first fire. The fire was contained and extinguished as all of the pre-assigned tasks came together and were completed. There were no reports of any injuries to the fire fighters at the scene or to any civilians. Fire damage to the involved apartment was severe and the structural components of the floor and roof systems were further weakened. The long-term viability of the building will need to be determined by the building's owner and for the short-term the building will once again be secured and boarded up. The Spokane City Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit was summoned to the fire scene to determine the cause of this fire. Twenty six fire fighters were delivered to this incident on 6 pieces of fire fighting apparatus, 2 Command vehicles, and 1 fire investigation truck.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation.
DAMAGE EXTENT: The fire unit was severly damaged and the integrity of the entire building is questionable because of the combined damage from today's fire and the fire which had occurred in early January of this year.
DOLLAR LOSS: 75,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 26
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

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

ISSUING OFFICER: AC Schaeffer
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/15/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Information
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 44 West Riverside
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: The Spokane Fire Department is competing in the 2010 Scott Firefighter Stairclimb in Seattle on March 7th to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The Department's Firefighting Stairclimb Team is training for the event and we would like to invite members of media to join us at the Bank of America building downtown between 5-7 a.m. on Friday, February 19th. Members of the stairclimb team will be training and available for questions and interviews. Additionally, we can arrange to have extra gear on hand if a reporter would like to try it on and run up a few flights of stairs to see what Stair Climbing is really like. For more details or to arrange a time to come by on the 19th, please call Jason Keen at 208-640-4240.

The team is also partnering with David's Pizza for an event on Saturday, February 20 to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Details on the fundraising event, as well as the stairclimb itself, are located on the SFD's Blog and Facebook Sites.

PROBABLE CAUSE: N/A
DAMAGE EXTENT: N/A
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE:
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

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

ISSUING OFFICER: AC Schaeffer
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/13/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Multiple Alarms
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 5108 North Market
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99207

NARRATIVE: On Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 5:38 AM, 6 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 1 Senior Ladder, 4 Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue under the direction of Battalion Chief Dave Haworth and Steve Sabo, responded to a Structure Fire at 5108 North Market (Alaskan Tavern).

While enroute to the incident, companies were notified there were reports that civilians may be trapped on the second floor and confirmed that fire was showing. Spokane Firefighters arrived quickly to find a two-story "taxpayer" type building with a full basement. The first companies described the building as a wood-frame with heavy smoke showing from the rear of the building. The first due Engine and Ladder went to work immediately after arriving and secured water supply and stretched a line in attempt to control the fire's progress toward the living areas in the building. Simultaneously the first-due Ladder Company searched each apartment unit under heavy smoke/fire conditions for savable civilians. All companies assigned on the first alarm were immediately dedicated to searching the building while trying to suppress the fire's progress when they arrived. Chief Haworth arrived and assumed command at 5:45 and struck a second alarm, two-minutes after his arrival. A third alarm was eventually struck at 6:18 AM and filled out the incident's resources to include; 10 Engines, 3 Ladders, 1 Heavy Rescue, 9 Command Staff , 1 AMR Ambulance and Supervisor and Red Cross.

Swift and decisive action by first arriving fire crews allowed a successful search of the entire building which resulted in a confirmation that all six occupants were outside and accounted for. The fire was declared under control in five hours and no injuries were reported.

Off-Duty and Mutual Aid Firefighters were utilized to staff SFD Stations and respond to simultaneous incidents during the Market Street Fire.

For continuous updated information and *Photos* Please Refer to our Blog (http://www.spokanefire.blogspot.com) and our Facebook Page.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The fire is under investigation by the Fire Department's SIU. The displaced families are receiving assistance from the Inland NW Chapter of the American Red Cross.

DAMAGE EXTENT: Damage was limited to the building itself and the fire did not extend to adjacent buildings or into the railway area. The building was a total loss. Railway traffic was halted during the incident and was reopened after the incident was declared under control.

DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 52
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

Alaskan Tavern 3rd Alarm Fire Slideshow

Alaskan Tavern 3rd Alarm Fire

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

ISSUING OFFICER: Craig Cornelius / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/11/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 37th and Rebecca
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99223

NARRATIVE: This evening, February 11, 2010, at 2109 hours, the Spokane Fire Department dispatched a total of 6 fire apparatus and 2 chief officers to a reported structure fire located at 37th and Rebecca.

Engine 14 from Fire Station 14, arrived on the scene a little over 4 minutes after being dispatched. Lt. Doug Dodson reported that he had a single story vacant structure with heavy smoke showing from the boarded up windows. He and his crew advanced a pre-connected hose line to the rear of the structure to attack the fire. The next arriving officer assumed Command and had arriving crews pull plywood from the windows and doors to assist in the extinguishment of the fire.

Crews gaining entry into the structure found a well seated fire that had worked its way into the ceiling and attic areas. "Tongue and Groove" wood used in the ceilings along with remodeled sections of the home made access to the fire difficult. These conditions kept crews working for several hours in the extinguishment of the fire. Extensive fire damage finished destroying this vacant home. The cause is still under investigation at this time. A total of 22 Firefighters responded to this incident. There were no reported injuries.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Cause is still under investigation.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Extensive fire damage finished destroying this vacant home.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 22
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

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

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/10/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 903 E. Rich
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99207

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. dispatched fire fighting crews and their apparatus to 903 E. Rich at 12:22 AM on Wednesday, February 10th, to a reported structure fire. As the first arriving fire unit was nearing the scene they reported large amounts of smoke being visible in the night sky. Once that unit reached the scene they reported that there was heavy smoke coming from a 2 story, townhouse style, wood/frame, side-by-side duplex and that they were preparing to gain entry into the structure. Additional units began arriving on scene shortly after and they were given assignments that included; laddering the building, searching the structure for anyone who might be inside, fire attack, back-up hose lines to protect those fire fighters who were going into the building to locate and extinguish the fire, horizontal and vertical ventilation, water supply, safety, and the mandated Rapid Intervention Team for the protection of all fire fighters involved in the work at the incident scene. Further reports from the crews who were inside the building indicated that the fire was in the basement and that it was spreading upward through the construction openings and void spaces that are present in all buildings. Crews who were on the first floor began opening walls in an effort to cut off the fire's upward spread and because of their aggressive actions, in concert with the actions of the crews in the basement, the fire was quickly darkened down. Once the fire had been knocked down the labor intensive job of searching for signs of hidden fire in other parts of the building began. Both units of the duplex were in the process of being vacated by their tenants so very little interior furnishings and/or furniture were present, which made the fire fighters overhaul and salvage work a little less demanding. There were no reports of any injuries to the fire fighters at the scene or to any civilians. Damage to the fire unit was severe in the basement where some of the floor joists had actually burnt away thus weakening the structural supports for that entire side of the duplex. The unit that burned will not be habitable until major repair work is completed. Fire fighters working on the first floor in that unit reported very spongy flooring and crews were cautioned to avoid certain areas on that first floor out of concerns that the floor might collapse. Smoke and heat damage were evident on the first and second floors. There was some additional smoke damage to the neighboring unit caused by the smoke migrating from the burning unit; however that side of the duplex should be able to be occupied. The Spokane Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit was requested to respond to this incident to determine the cause of this early morning fire. They were on scene soon after the fire was extinguished and began their investigation work. They were to return to the scene to continue their task once the sun comes up. Twenty three fire fighters were delivered to this incident on 6 pieces of fire fighting apparatus, 2 Command vehicles, and 1 fire investigation truck.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under Investigation by SIU.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Severe fire damage in the basement of the fire unit causing structural instabilty to the first floor and possibly to the entire east side of the duplex. Heavy smoke damage to all floors of the fire unit and some smoke damage to the neighboring unit.
DOLLAR LOSS: 50,000.00
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

Training Captain Promotion

Lieutenant

David Pointer has been promoted to Training Captain! Congratulations to Captain Pointer and good luck leading Academy Class 2010-1 !!!

SFD Featured in the 2010 Visual Art Tour

Multiple SFD Facilities were featured at the 2010 Visual Art Tour this afternoon. The Facilities and Art that were featured are:

Fire Station #3, 1713 W. Indiana
"Velocity"
By Tom Askman

Fire Station #4, 1515 W. 1st Ave.
Anna and Alta Brown
By Paula Turnbull, SNJM

Fire Station #14, 1807 S. Ray
Stained Glass Window
By Rebecca Laurence

Fire Station #17, 5121 W. Lowell Rd.
"Blue Portico with Dalmatian Spot Walkway"
By Jo Fyfe and Patty Dyke Haag

Fire Station #18, 120 E. Lincoln Rd.
"Banner of Service"
By Hazen Audel and Robert Sevilla

Fire Maintenance Facility & Training Field House, 1608 N. Rebecca
"Firefighters' Wall"
By David Saling

"Hose"
By Kurt Madison and Deke Cloyd

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

ISSUING OFFICER: Craig Cornelius / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/4/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 5933 N. Atlantic
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: This evening, February 4th, at 2109 hours, the Spokane Fire Department dispatched a total of 6 fire apparatus and 2 chief officers to a reported structure fire located at 5933 N. Atlantic.

Engine 18 from Fire Station 18, arrived on the scene a little over 4 minutes after being dispatched. Lt. Pat Sanders reported that he had a single story tri-plex with smoke showing from the center unit. He and his crew advanced a pre-connected hose line into the fire unit and extinguished a fire in the kitchen. Other fire crews verified that occupants in the adjoining apartment units were safely outside and assisted in ventilating the fire unit.

Engine 18 had the fire under control within 5 minutes of their arrival. The fire was confined to the apartment of origin and the cause was cooking related. 22 Firefighters responded to this incident. There were no reported injuries.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Cooking Related
DAMAGE EXTENT: Apartment kitchen area. Smoke damage throughout the entire unit.
DOLLAR LOSS: 15000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 22
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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

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

ISSUING OFFICER: Dave Haworth/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/2/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2518 E 5th
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP:

NARRATIVE: On Feb 2, at 1406 hours, the Spokane Fire Department responded 4 engines, 1 ladder, 1 pumper-ladder, 1 rescue, and 2 battalion chiefs to a reported structure fire at 2518 E 5th Ave. The first arriving company, SE7, reported smoke issuing from basement vents and from the front door. After confirming that all occupants were out, companies began a coordinated attack on the basement fire and quickly extinguished it. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The cause is under investigation by the Special Investigative Unit and no cause has been determined at the time of the media release.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Heat damage was confined to bedroom contents with moderate smoke damage throughout the rest of the structure.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 21
MUTUAL AID: None Given

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