Ceiling collapse alerts family to fire
A 4 a.m. house fire brought the living room ceiling down on a family in the 300 block of West Central Avenue on Monday.
The fire, which started in the attic, is believed to have been caused by faulty wiring, though Spokane firefighters are still investigating.
With no smoke alarms in their attic, the family had no warning of the fire above them until they heard a crash.
“It was a young couple and a 6-month-old baby,” said Joel Fielder, Spokane fire battalion chief.
“Like most people, they didn’t have smoke detectors in their attic. They heard part of the ceiling drop in the living room and discovered the fire. It had burned through some rafters.”
Firefighters doused the flames with minimal water, limiting property damage. Even the smoke damage on the ground floor wasn’t that bad, Fielder said, because most of the smoke flowed out vents in the attic.
The family found shelter with relatives.
– Tom Lutey
Police car stolen during traffic stop
A brazen thief made off with a Spokane police car early Monday while the officer was out of the vehicle handling a traffic violation.
Police arrested 23-year-old Oleg V. Saley after he allegedly hopped into the police car and drove two blocks before crashing into a utility pole.
Police spokesman Cpl. Tom Lee said Officer Tim Ottmar was out of his car handling a traffic infraction about 2 a.m. when Saley made his move.
He jumped into the car, which had its lights on and was parked on the 500 block of east Courtland Avenue, and took off, police said. He crashed the vehicle on Lidgerwood Street.
A second patrol car apprehended Saley at Division Street and Glass Avenue, about 15 minutes after the crime. Police aren’t sure if there was more than one suspect.
Saley was booked into jail on charges of first-degree theft.
– Melodie Little
Spokane Valley
Arsonist blamed in overnight fires
An arsonist spent the wee hours of a bitterly cold Monday morning setting several fires in Spokane Valley.
A car, hedge and outbuilding were set ablaze in fires that were reported between 1:13 and 6:02 a.m., said Chief Mike Thompson of the Spokane Valley Fire Department. The same person or people are believed to have started all three fires, Thompson said.
A call reporting a car fire at 14902 E. Valleyway Ave. came in at 1:13 a.m., Thompson said.
At 3:18 a.m., a hedge fire was reported at 904 N. Burns Road. At that point, a firefighter who responded to the first and second calls notified the duty chief that there may have been an arsonist at work, Thompson said.
At 6:02 a.m., a caller reported a fire in an outbuilding at 14804 E. Valleyway Ave., Thompson said. The building was engulfed when firefighters arrived.
Anyone with information is asked to call (509) 424-8477.
– Melodie Little