Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Two dogs, cat rescued on Christmas Day; chimney caused blaze, SVFD said
Two dogs and cat were rescued from a burning home by the Spokane Valley Fire Department after a neighbor spotted flames coming from the building while no one was home.
The fire was reported at 8:30 p.m. Christmas Day in the 7100 block of East Eighth Avenue. The neighbor reported seeing flames coming from the side of the house near the chimney, said department spokeswoman Julie Happy. Noone were found during a search of the home, and the pets inside were safely removed.
An investigation determined the fire was caused by a faulty chimney. Experts recommend having chimneys cleaned and inspected once a year, Happy said.
Fire crews from the Spokane Fire Department assisted in putting out the fire.
Other calls Dec. 21-27
Dec. 21: A caller reported that a driver had driven away from the HiCo Village gas station at Mullan Road and Sprague Avenue with the gas pump still in the vehicle at 10:15 p.m. No gasoline spill was located.
Dec. 22: A water flow alarm sounded at the Best Buy in the 15200 block of East Indiana Avenue at 7:06 a.m. An employee reported that a sprinkler head was broken in the trash compactor. The water was shut off and the alarm silenced. An oven fire was reported in the 1400 block of North Woodruff Road at 9:22 a.m. The homeowner told crews she had put the fire out with salt. Crews found burned cinnamon rolls and bacon in the oven, but no fire.
Dec. 23: A fire was reported in the 12400 block of East Empire Lane at 9:23 a.m. Crews found a homeless camp with a trash fire burning. They explained that it was illegal to burn trash, and the fire was put out. A caller reported seeing an overturned canoe in the Spokane River near the Sullivan Road overpass at 11:28 a.m. Rescue crews responded and determined that what looked like an overturned canoe was actually a rock. A rotten egg smell was reported inside a building in the 12600 block of East Mission Avenue. The smell was not natural gas, but a sewer smell.
Dec. 24: A woman accidentally locked outside her home in the 6300 block of East Second Avenue at 2:38 a.m. gave firefighters permission to chop through her door with an axe because she was cold and wanted back inside. However, a firefighter noticed an unlocked window by the front door. The crew was able to remove the screen, open the window and reach inside to unlock the front door. A possible illegal fire was reported in a backyard in the 11900 block of East Railroad Avenue at 11:52 a.m. There was a smoldering pile of leaves and other debris burning. The resident was told to put the fire out. An alarm sounded at the Ramada Hotel in the 900 block of North Sullivan Road at 3:44 p.m. A door was located that was warm to the touch. The door was forced open to reveal a ruptured hot water tank hose that was spraying hot water, which had activated a heat alarm. Crews responded back to the hotel at 6:13 after the alarm sounded again, but nothing was found the second time.
Dec. 25: A possible chimney fire was reported in an apartment in the 2400 block of North Wilbur Road at 3:11 p.m. The apartment was full of smoke when crews arrived. The area around the stove pipe was hot. It was determined the main damper was closed, trapping smoke and heat inside the apartment.
Dec 26: A vehicle fire was reported on Interstate 90 near the Pines Road exit at 4:20 a.m. The driver said he was going around 45 miles per hour when he heard a pop. He pulled over and opened his hood to find a fire in the engine. He tried to put the fire out with snow. Firefighters finished putting the fire out.
Dec. 27: A possible natural gas leak was reported at the Meadowood Technology Campus at 7:17 a.m. An odor of natural gas was detected near a natural gas manifold. Avista Utilities responded to fix the leak. A vehicle crash was reported on Pines near Montgomery Avenue at 10:32 p.m. Crews found a car on its side. The driver needed to be extricated from the vehicle.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 385 calls the week of Dec. 21-17, including 308 calls for emergency medical services. Other responses included numerous car crashes during snowy weather on Christmas Day, heat tape wrapped around pipes leading to a water softener that melted some foam insulation, a 2-year-old child accidentally locked inside a vehicle with its engine running, and burning incense that triggered a fire alarm.