20 brush fires among emergency calls
Spokane Valley firefighters dealt with a double-fatal home fire and a wildfire that destroyed 11 houses in the two weeks that ended Wednesday.
There was no fire roundup in last Saturday’s Valley Voice because Deputy Fire Marshal Bill Clifford, the Spokane Valley Fire Department spokesman, was working on the Valley View wildfire.
That fire started July 10 when high winds whipped up an unextinguished recreational fire near 1915 S. Eastern Lane.
Eventually controlled with help from firefighters all around the state and region, the Valley View Fire went down as three of 20 brush fires in the two week period. (It sparked two spot fires that were reported separately.)
Another brush fire about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, started near 520 S. Fancher Road and raced uphill to threaten some condominiums.
“It was taking off pretty quick,” but firefighters rapidly got the upper hand, Clifford said.
The worst of 34 structure fires occurred about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in a singlewide mobile home in the University Mobile Home Park at 9518 E. Fourth Ave. Two women died under baffling circumstances, Clifford said.
He said the women apparently died while seated in the living room within 15 feet of a door.
“It appears there was no attempt to vacate the structure,” Clifford said. “We don’t suspect foul play, but we’ll let law enforcement take care of it.”
The fire was started by food and grease left unattended on a kitchen stove. The home was so badly burned that fire investigators couldn’t tell whether it had a smoke detector, Clifford said.
Another kitchen fire, on July 8, damaged a home at 10105 E. Main Ave. Candle wax left heating on a stove erupted in flames shortly before 6 a.m.
Other structure fires in the period included the July 4 fire that destroyed Spokane Valley City Councilman Dick Denenny’s home at 1615 S. Virginia Road. That fire remains under investigation, but isn’t considered suspicious.
Also on July 4, a teenage boy’s bedroom at 3910 N. Argonne Road was damaged by fire when he put a cigarette in a plastic waste basket, Clifford said. No one was injured.
That fire came a day after a home in the 900 block of South Best Road sustained minor exterior damage from a fire in a can used as an ash tray.
About 1:35 p.m. July 11, while crews were still fighting the Valley View fire, a house burned at 11207 E. 12th Ave. Flames from the fully involved home spread to trees and damaged a nearby home.
Clifford said the cause remains under investigation, but the fire is believed to have been accidental. No one was at home when it broke out.
Another structure fire, reported at 11:13 a.m. Sunday, destroyed an abandoned singlewide mobile home at 5120 E. Fourth Ave. That fire also remains under investigation.
Among other calls in the two weeks that ended Wednesday, firefighters dealt with 332 emergency medical incidents, eight vehicle fires, 29 motor vehicle accidents, 21 automatic alarms, three hazardous materials calls and eight calls for general service.
One of the vehicle fires turned out to be arson. Clifford said fireworks apparently were tossed into the cab of a 2002 Ford pickup at 15204 E. 24th Ave. about 3:50 a.m. July 8, destroying the $15,000 vehicle. He asked anyone with information about the arson to call the fire department at 928-1700 or to call 242-TIPS.