Tuesday, January 28, 2014

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Media Release

Hot Tub Fire

Incident #: 2014004865
Date of Incident: 01/28/2014
Issuing Officer: Bruce Moline/Battalion Chief

Narrative:
On Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 at 6:52 P.M. the Spokane Fire Department responded to a report of a house on fire at 3117 E. Hills court. Engine 14 from their station location of 18th and Ray was first to arrive and reported the back of the house was on fire. After stretching a preconnected hose line, the fire crew discovered that a hot tub on the wooden deck was burning. The occupants of the home had just left but had returned to their home after an alert neighbor reported the fire and then called them. The fire was quickly knocked down and confined to the hot tub and deck area. Even though the hot tub was very close, the dwelling did not sustain any fire damage. The wiring underneath the hot tub, including the pump area and insulation was damaged severely by the fire. The cause of this fire appears to be either electrical or mechanical in nature. The Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane Fire Department is investigating.

Cause:
Under investigation by the Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane Fire Department

Damage:
The hot tub was a total loss.

# Firefighters Responding: 18

Dollar Loss: $ 20,000

End Of Release
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Media Release

Center Court Structure Fire

Incident #: 2014004716
Date of Incident: 01/27/2014
Issuing Officer: Joel Fielder/Battalion Chief

Narrative:
On January 27, 2014 at approximately 10:00PM Spokane Fire crews were dispatched to the Center Court Apartments at 924 East Cozza Drive. Fire dispatch reported that they had received several 911 calls on this fire reporting an explosion and with several apartments heavily involved with fire. Engine 18 responding from Lincoln and Division could see heavy smoke and fire from several blocks away and upgrade the fire to a working fire and then to a 2nd Alarm fire due to the size of the structure and the significant volume of fire. E-18’s size-up identified heavy fire coming from one apartment on the second floor with fire extending to the 3rd floor apartment and fire in the attic of the 3- story, block long structure. E-18 initiated fire attack into the 2nd floor apartment  while aggressive vertical ventilation operations from the first arriving ladder company, L-2, and additional fire attack from E-15 on the third floor confined the fire to the 2 apartments on the east side of the building. All other fire crews arriving on scene were assigned tasks of search and rescue, salvage and overhaul and water supply.  The commercial response, along with the 2nd Alarm upgrade, consisted of 5 engines, 3 ladders and 3 Response Chiefs. One civilian was transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and there were no reported injuries to any firefighters. The fire was contained within 1 hour and fire crews remained on scene throughout the night to complete overhaul.

The Spokane Chapter of the American Red Cross was on scene and assisting those individuals that had been displaced by the fire.

Cause:
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department’s, Special Investigation Unit.

Damage:
Fire damage was confined to the 2nd and 3rd floor apartments with heavy fire damage to the attic. The lower apartment on the first floor sustained water and smoke damage.  

# Firefighters Responding: 30

Dollar Loss: $ 100000

Other Agencies Responding:
Avista, Red Cross and Spokane Police Department

End Of Release
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Media Release

Hill N Dale Structure Fire

Incident #: 2014004680
Date of Incident: 01/27/2014
Issuing Officer: Joel Fielder/Battalion Chief

Narrative:
At approximately 5:30 PM on January 27,2014 Spokane Fire crews were dispatched to 8821 North Hill N Dale on a reported structure fire. First arriving crews found light smoke coming from a 2nd floor apartment in a 3-strory apartment building that contained 12 units.  Firefighters gained entry into the unit and found light smoke conditions and discovered a fire in the closet around an enclosed water heater. The fire was quickly extinguished by the fire attack crew while other companies completed search, ventilation, salvage and overhaul. A commercial fire response was dispatched to this address due to the size of the building, the response consisted of 6 engines, 2-Ladder trucks, 1 Heavy Rescue Truck and 2 Response Chiefs. The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes.  

There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters and 1 family was displaced and was being assisted by the Spokane Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Cause:
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department’s, Special Investigation Unit.

Damage:
Fire damage was confined to the bedroom closet with smoke damage throughout the apartment.

# Firefighters Responding: 33

Dollar Loss: $ 5000

Other Agencies Responding:
American Red Cross

End Of Release
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Saturday, January 25, 2014

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Media Release

January 25th Fire Displaces 7

Incident #: 2014004377
Date of Incident: 01/25/2014
Issuing Officer: Craig Cornelius / Battalion Chief

Narrative:
Engine3 was the first fire company to arrive at a fire in a large 1 ½ story home located at 1604 W. Shannon Ave.  Three minutes before, at 16:54 hours, Fire Dispatch received a 911 call for help and transmitted a fire alarm sending 6 apparatus to the fire.  Engine 3’s company officer Lt. Jeff Estes reported smoke coming from the upper floor and eves of the home and requested a water supply be secured by the next incoming engine.  Assignments were made to verify that all occupants were out of the home and an aggressive attack was made on the fire itself.  In addition to advancing hose lines, firefighters performed a search of the structure, and ventilated the roof to assist crews advancing hose lines upstairs.   Heavy traffic on Maple impeded apparatus placement and assistance from the Spokane Police Department was required to control vehicles that were driving through the incident.  The Incident Commander requested an additional two apparatus due to the nature of the structure and fire loading of stored materials on the second floor.  The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes, however, crews worked for the next 4 hours making sure the fire was extinguished.  Seven residents were displaced by this fire.  In addition to the fire damage, the family lost a dog that succumbed to smoke on the upper floor.  Fire crews will be kept on the scene throughout the night checking for lingering hot spots.  The fire cause is still under investigation at this time.

Cause:
Under Investigation

Damage:
Fire damage to entire upper floor and attic.

# Firefighters Responding: 27

Dollar Loss: $ 100,000

End Of Release
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Friday, January 24, 2014

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Media Release

Fire Fatality

Incident #: 2014003318
Date of Incident: 01/19/2014
Issuing Officer: AC Schaeffer

Narrative:
Gregory Paul Case, age 61, has died as a result of thermal injuries he received from the structure fire in the early morning hours of January 19, 2014 at 609 East Euclid.  This is the City of Spokane's first fire-related fatality in 2014.

Cause:
N/A

Damage:
N/A

End Of Release
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Thursday, January 23, 2014

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Media Release

North Side Apartment Fire

Incident #: 2014003923
Date of Incident: 01/23/2014
Issuing Officer: BC Dave Haworth

Narrative:
On Thursday, January 23, 2014, at approx 12:00 AM, the Spokane Fire Department dispatched 4 engines, 2 ladder companies, 1 heavy rescue, and 2 battalion chiefs to a reported structure fire at 902 E Boone, the Hamilton House Apartments. The caller stated there was a fire in the laundry room. First arriving Station 2, located in the Logan Neighborhood, reported light smoke on the first floor of the building. Upon further investigation they found an advanced fire in both the laundry room and a nearby storage room. At this point the smoke began to intensify so the structure had to be evacuated. Several crews attacked the fire while others evacuated the four story structure.  STA was contacted and they dispatched two buses to the scene to shelter the evacuated occupants.  The fire was quickly brought under control and all occupants were evacuated without incident. All occupants were able to return to their homes after approximately 3 hours. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

Cause:
The fire has been labeled suspicious and is under investigation by the Special Investigative Unit of the Spokane Fire Department

Damage:
The laundry and storage room sustained heavy damage with moderate damage to a nearby office.

# Firefighters Responding: 25

Dollar Loss: $ 20000

Other Agencies Responding:
Avista

End Of Release
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Sunday, January 19, 2014

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Media Release

North Side Fourplex Fire

Incident #: 2014003318
Date of Incident: 01/19/2014
Issuing Officer: Battalion Chief Steve Sabo

Narrative:
At 3:16 A.M. on Sunday, January 19th, the Spokane Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 609 E. Euclid Avenue, on Spokane’s north side. Engine and Ladder 2 arrived on scene within four minutes and reported smoke and flames visible from a basement window of the single story, wood framed fourplex. Fire attack was immediately initiated, simultaneously with a search of the structure for victims. Six occupants were evacuated from the structure, two of whom suffered injuries during the fire. One of the injured victims, an adult male who was rescued from the fire area by firefighters, suffered second and third degree burns and smoke inhalation. He was treated by paramedics at the scene and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, and later transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment. His condition is unknown at the time of this release. The other injured victim, an adult female, was transported to Deaconess Hospital with a minor knee injury.
The fire was quickly knocked down and confined to a basement hallway and stairs. There was minor smoke damage throughout the structure. One of the basement units of the fourplex will be uninhabitable until repairs can be made. The residents of that unit are being assisted with housing by the Red Cross. Six engines, two ladder trucks, a heavy rescue truck and two Battalion Chiefs responded to this fire, for a total of 30 firefighters. There were no injuries to any of the firefighters. AMR also responded three ambulances and a supervisor to assist with treating and transporting the victims.

Cause:
The cause of this fire is currently under investigation by members of the Spokane Fire Department’s Special Investigation Unit.

Damage:
Damage was confined to the basement hallway and stairs, with minor smoke damage throughout the structure.

# Firefighters Responding: 30

Dollar Loss: $ 5,000

Other Agencies Responding:
American Medical Response

End Of Release
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Saturday, January 4, 2014

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

Media Release

Downtown High Rise Fire

Incident #: 2014000717
Date of Incident: 01/04/2014
Issuing Officer: Bruce Moline/Battalion Chief

Narrative:
On Saturday, January 4th, 2014 at 4:42 P.M. the Spokane Fire Department responded to a report of an alarm system activated in the Wells Fargo Building located at 601 W. 1st in downtown Spokane. Fire crews from Station 1 at Riverside and Browne responded and found a significant odor of smoke on the 15th floor of the High Rise building. The call was immediately upgraded to a full response bringing additional units from the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods. An offensive strategy was put in place which organized crews into search teams and fire attack teams. Some occupants who were working in the building were able to self-evacuate and make their way to safety on the street below. After searching floor by floor with their thermal imaging cameras, crews were able to pinpoint the fire to an electrical box on the 15th floor. A smoke detector, as a part of the alarm system, successfully detected the fire in the ductwork of the air handling system and sent the alarm in and at the same time, shut the ventilation system down. As a result of this, the fire was discovered early and the smoke damage was minimal. Fire crews remained on the scene making sure the fire did not extend past the electrical box and ventilated what smoke remained on the 15th floor. At this time, the fire appears to be caused by an electrical transformer responsible for 12 volt track lighting. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters and the fire was declared contained and stabilized after 1 hour.

Cause:
Possibly due to a transformer issue as a part of a 12 volt track lighting circuit.

Damage:
Extensive damage to the electrical box and associated wiring.

# Firefighters Responding: 25

Dollar Loss: $ 5,000

Other Agencies Responding:
Avista Company.

End Of Release
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

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Media Release

Furnace fire displaces family.

Incident #: 2014061525#
Date of Incident: 01/01/2014
Issuing Officer: Battalion Chief Bill Donahoe

Narrative:
 
At 05:29 AM, January 01, 2014 Spokane Fire Department companies responded to 3104 West Wellesley on a reported structure fire.  When fire companies arrived on scene it was confirmed that all the occupants and pets were safely out of the single family wood framed dwelling. Fortunately the occupants were alerted by working smoke detectors from the Initial  light smoke in the home. Companies reported the smoke intensity increasing on the first floor of the home and the incident was upgraded to a working fire.  This added a second dedicated ladder company, A.M.R. ambulance, an investigator along with Avista gas and electric to the response. Fire companies located the source of the heavy smoke from the malfunctioning natural gas furnace after approximately 10 minutes.  Once the power and natural gas were shut off to the furnace the incident soon deescalated.  No extinguishment was required. The home was ventilated and minor overhaul was completed. Due to the inoperable furnace, the family of two adults, two teenagers and one infant were displaced and being assisted by the Red Cross until repairs can be made. Avista has disconnected natural gas service to the home. No injuries were reported to civilians or firefighters.

Cause:
The Spokane Fire Department Battalion Chief and Special Investigation Unit have declared the natural gas fired furnace inoperable and in need of repair or replacement along with inspection by Avista prior to any occupants habituating the home.

Damage:
 
There is light smoke damage throughout the home along with damage to the ceiling in one bedroom when attempting to locate the source of heat and potential fire extension into the attic. The furnace and portions of the ductwork are in need of replacement and or repair.

# Firefighters Responding: 22

Dollar Loss: $ 10,000.00

Other Agencies Responding:
A.M.R. Ambulance, Avista and Red Cross.

End Of Release
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Spokane Fire Department

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