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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Not So Stormy, But Slick Snowfall Less Than Expected, But Still Causes Trouble For Spokane Road Crews

Alison Boggs And Brian Coddington S To Staff writer

A major snowstorm expected Saturday faded into steady, light snowfall, but the shimmering flakes and accompanying winds were enough to keep police and road crews busy.

The Washington State Patrol closed Highway 195 from Colfax to Pullman about 8 p.m. Steady winds reduced visibility to zero.

Slick road conditions and falling temperatures led to a handful of accidents in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The National Weather Service expected up to 3 inches of accumulation by day’s end.

An eight-person crew started work about 5 a.m. Saturday at the Spokane International Airport. In the winter, the airport relies on just one of its two main runways, which is two miles long and can be cleared in 20 minutes. Light snow is cleared by two huge vehicles with high-powered sweepers 15-feet wide.

Most important, said airport spokesman Todd Woodard, is clearing runway lights so the pilots can see where they’re going.

The bulk of a storm that was supposed to bring the region as much as six inches of snow slid south to Oregon. About two inches of snow fell in Spokane by Saturday evening.

One to three inches is expected today.

“We will continue to get cold temperatures and snow,” said Larry Sossaman of the National Weather Service. “It’s not over yet.”

Police dispatchers throughout the region were kept busy Saturday by residents calling to ask about the roads. Most people heeded warnings to stay home. No serious accidents were reported.

Traffic was backed up by minor accidents and slide-offs along Interstate 90 both west of Spokane and through the Valley. A semi-truck loaded with hay bales overturned at the Hamilton exit, snarling traffic about 5 p.m. Late Saturday, the WSP reported traffic was moving slowly.

On Spotted Road near Cheney, a 73-year-old man who decided to shovel snow off the roof of his one-story house slipped and tumbled off. He was taken to Deaconess Medical Center with minor injuries, said a dispatcher for Fire District 8.

Efforts to keep warm as the temperature dropped Friday night led to an explosion and a chimney fire.

A worker at Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. on Hawthorne Road in Mead suffered first and second degree burns on his hands after a propane gas tank explosion about 6 p.m.

Workers brought the gas tank inside the plant to fuel a heater. The injured worker was treated at Holy Family Hospital and released.

At about 7:45 p.m., crews responded to a chimney fire at 6515 E. Wilding Lane. The fire was sparked by cracks in the masonry and in the chimney’s concrete blocks, said Skip Wells, Fire District 9 deputy chief.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Alison Boggs and Brian Coddington Staff writers Staff writer Tom Sowa contributed to this report.