Kitchen fire fatal to three pets

Kitchen fire fatal to three pets

A plastic garbage contain left on top of a burner that was accidentally turned on sparked a house fire in north Spokane Sunday evening that killed three dogs.

Smoke was coming from the back of the house in the 4900 block of N. Crestline when the Spokane Fire Department arrived about 4:41 pm. Crews quickly knocked down the fire and removed three dogs from the house. The occupant of the home, who was not at home at the time of the fire, had left a plastic garbage container on the stove. One of the burner controls was accidentally turned on and the garbage container melted, catching a nearby pantry on fire.

No one was injured, but all three dogs perished in the blaze. The Red Cross is assisting the occupant with temporary living arrangements.

The Spokane Fire Department would like to remind the public to keep combustibles away from heat sources. Burners can easily be turned on by accident. Don't take chances, keep potentially hot surfaces clear.

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Change your batteries with your clock

Change batteries with your clock

When you change your clocks back to Standard Time this weekend, Spokane Fire Department asks you to also check the condition of your smoke detectors.

In the past, the slogan was "Change Your Clock / Change Your Battery!"  Now we recognize the importance of knowing the type of battery in the detector and the age of the detector itself.

• Replace alkaline 9-volt batteries at least once a year or whenever they begin to chirp.
• When long-life lithium batteries chirp, it means the detector itself needs to be replaced.  Lithium batteries should last 10 years and smoke detectors must be replaced every 10 years.
• To determine the age of smoke detectors, look for the date of manufacture on the back label of the detector itself.
• When replacing smoke detectors, choose the PHOTOELECTRIC or dual-sensor PHOTO-ION type because they are more effective at detecting smoldering fires than the common ionization smoke alarm.

When you turn your clock back one hour this weekend, please make time to also check on the condition of the smoke detectors in your home.  You need at least one working smoke detector on each level of the house, one outside each sleeping area and one in each bedroom.
 
About 2,800 persons died in home fires in the U.S. last year.  Two of every three fatalities happened in homes that were not protected by a working smoke alarm.

 

For more information on smoke alarms, please call Spokane Fire Department at 509.625.7058.

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