Fire roundup: Spokane Valley crews douse blaze at restaurant
A quick response from the Spokane Valley Fire Department limited damage to the Pentagon Bistro at 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane in Liberty Lake after a fire was discovered shortly before 9:30 p.m. Monday.
Several people called to report seeing flames on an outside wall. When firefighters arrived, they found flames at the northeast corner of the restaurant going up into the eaves. Crews were able to limit the damage to the exterior of the restaurant, said department spokeswoman Julie Happy.
One firefighter was injured when a piece of interior ceiling fell on him. The restaurant was closed at the time of the fire, and no one was inside.
Other calls April 27 to May 3
April 27: A possible illegal fire was reported near a trailer park on South Custer Road just after 3 a.m. Firefighters found a homeowner burning tree debris in his yard. He was told the fire was illegal and to put it out. A trucker driving by the Appleway Interstate 90 exit just before 2 p.m. reported seeing a kayaker in the Spokane River who appeared to be in trouble. A sheriff’s deputy was first on the scene and talked to two kayakers who said they were fine. A grass fire was reported in the area of 12700 E. Mansfield Ave. at 3:23 p.m. Several crews had to walk in to fight the fire, which was put out.
April 28: A fire alarm was heard sounding in a home in the 13000 block of East 22nd Avenue at 11:40 a.m. A resident said that she had left some food on the stove, and it had burned.
April 29: An elderly man living in the 11000 block of East Jackson Avenue called just after 1:30 p.m. and requested assistance with changing the batteries in his smoke detectors because he did not feel safe climbing a ladder to do so. Firefighters changed his batteries. A tire fire was reported at a business in the area of Appleway Boulevard and First Avenue at 5:44 p.m. When firefighters arrived, the business owner said they had “smoked the tires” on a car. A lit cigarette caused a small gasoline fire in the 7400 block of East Sixth Avenue just after 8 p.m. Two women said they were washing several motorcycles when one of them dropped a cigarette that ignited some gasoline that had leaked on the ground. The women were able to put out the fire.
April 30: Crews responded to a report of an injured sheriff’s deputy in the 17000 block of East Coach Avenue at 10:30 a.m. A report was received at 10:53 a.m. that a woman had purposely run over a man with her car in the Value Village parking lot at Sprague Avenue and Pines Road. Nothing was found when crews arrived.
May 1: A dumpster fire was reported at a Chevron station on North Fancher Road near Howe Street at 3:30 p.m. Employees had put out the fire by the time crews arrived and reported that it had been started by a teenager. The manager followed the teen and police were able to arrest him. A single car rollover accident was reported on the eastbound Liberty Lake exit on I-90 just after 9:30 p.m. Crews found a 19-year-old man lying on the ground and a large amount of ammunition and a firearm. The man told crews he was drunk and just wanted to go to the hospital.
May 2: A brush fire was reported near the Phillips 66 Tank Farm on Thierman Road at 6:45 a.m. It was believed to be started by a broken mercury vapor light. Crews had to cut a gate lock to get access to the fire, which was put out. A patio umbrella blew into a power line and caused arcing and sparking in the area of Dollar Road and Eastern Road shortly after 6 p.m. Avista was called to the scene.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 336 calls from April 27 to May 3, including 258 responses for emergency medical services. Other responses included 12 car crashes, a woman who needed help getting her toddler out of a locked car, a woman who answered her door in the nude while crews were investigating a burnt plastic smell, and a caller concerned about a lingering bleach smell.