WVHS students freed from elevator

Aside from rescuing some students stuck in an elevator at West Valley High School Monday, it was a fairly average week for emergency personnel at the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

About 8 a.m., firefighters were called to the school when the elevator became stuck about three feet above the ground floor, said department spokesman Bill Clifford.

Firefighters helped three students out of the elevator after shutting off the power and using its hydraulic system to lower them to the ground.

There aren’t many elevators in the Valley, but on the occasions when one gets stuck, the fire department takes care of it.

“That’s just part of the job,” Clifford said.

During the week before, fire officials also handled reports of eight structure fires, he said. One ignited in a chimney.

The department took care of 14 fire alarms, four reported car fires and seven vehicle accidents. Of the accidents, one person was taken to the hospital with neck injuries.

Three hazardous materials calls came in to the department. One was from a backhoe severing a gas line, Clifford said.

There also were 131 medical calls for a total of 171 calls for the week.