Spokane Valley fire roundup: Natural gas leak displaces Liberty Lake apartment residents
The Spokane Valley Fire Department on Nov. 5 assisted in containing a large natural gas leak in Liberty Lake that displaced some apartment residents for more than a day.
Firefighters responded to the natural gas leak around 2:50 p.m., which was on the 21900 block of East Country Vista Drive. A contractor digging on the south side of the road hit a natural gas line that emitted an odor.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and deployed fire hoses while the Liberty Lake Police Department shut down a portion of lanes on Country Vista Drive. They diverted traffic through a nearby shopping center parking lot.
Avista Utilities arrived on the scene and identified location and size of the leak as well as worked with firefighters to remove a manhole cover on the north side of the street to dissipate the natural gas.
As a precautionary measure, residents in 30 units of the nearby Legacy Villas Apartments were evacuated, along with two businesses.
After the gas leak was contained, firefighters worked with Avista to check each of the evacuated apartments for detectable levels of natural gas before allowing residents to return.
Residents in two buildings closest to the natural gas leak were evacuated overnight. No injuries were reported.
Other calls Nov. 5 to Nov. 11
Nov. 5: Crews responded to a report of a chemical spill around 4:15 p.m. on the 4500 block of North Sullivan Road. A caller reported a female pushing a vehicle on the street that had front end damage and was leaking fluids. Firefighters observed a small amount of antifreeze on the road and applied absorbent to it.
Nov.6: Firefighters responded to a building fire around 8:40 a.m. on the 1000 block of North Pines Road. When crews arrived to the scene, they observed a smoldering door in the bathroom that apparently caught fire a day prior, causing smoke to fill the building. Crews extinguished the fire. Damages were estimated at $35,000.
Nov. 8: Crews responded to vehicle fire report at 9:10 p.m. on the 16400 block of East Trent Avenue. When they arrived to the scene, they found an overheated vehicle with the doors locked and the engine running. The vehicle was also missing a license plate. It was determined there was an abundance of steam coming from the vehicle, rather than smoke. Crews returned to service.
Nov. 9: Firefighters responded to an unauthorized burning call around 8:50 a.m. on the 6400 block of East Riverside Avenue. They found a resident burning yard waste in the backyard. Crews informed the residents that burning yard waste was not permitted and extinguished the fire.
By the numbers: The Spokane Valley Fire Department during the week of Nov. 5 to Nov. 11, responded to 298 calls, including 15 fires, 13 alarm system responses, 225 emergency medical service calls, one vehicle extrication, one water rescue, seven hazardous material responses, 32 motor vehicle collisions and four service calls.