In brief: Spray paint, fire pit figure in burn cases

Spokane fire officials said a north Spokane man was seriously burned when he used a cordless drill to penetrate a can of spray paint.

The contents of the pressurized can released suddenly, and a spark from the drill ignited a flash fire, burning the man’s face. He was taken to Deaconess Medical Center for treatment, the Fire Department said.

The incident occurred Saturday about 8 p.m. on the 1900 block of East Wellesley Avenue. The man’s name was not released. He is in his late 50s or early 60s.

In a separate incident, a Spokane woman suffered life-threatening burns when she went into a backyard fire pit in the 1600 block of North Cook Street about 1:40 a.m. on Sunday.

The incident, which involved a second woman at the residence, is under investigation, said Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.

The burn victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was reported in critical condition. The second woman was not seriously injured.

Mike Prager

Red light cameras to watch more spots

Say cheese, red light runners.

Red light cameras are coming to four more Spokane intersections.

Within the next couple of months, cameras will point northbound on Division Street at Sprague Avenue, eastbound on Wellesley Avenue at Ash Street, westbound on Second Avenue at Thor Street, and northbound on Freya Street at Third Avenue, police said Monday.

Since Oct. 1, cameras have been pointed at the north- and southbound lanes on Division at Francis Avenue; the northbound lanes on Hamilton Street at Mission Avenue; and the southbound lanes on Browne Street at Sprague.

The Division and Francis intersection will get additional cameras at the left-hand turn lanes for north- and southbound traffic.

Nearly 2,500 $124 tickets have been issued; about 67 percent have been paid, police said.

“I’m personally pleased with the program,” City Council President Joe Shogan said. “I don’t hear a lot of drivers in Spokane complaining about it.”

Meghann M. Cuniff

Closed stretch of river reopens for boating

A stretch of the Spokane River between Harvard and Barker bridges was reopened Monday to boaters and floaters by Spokane County commissioners.

Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich asked for the closure June 2 because high water levels and debris piling up around the Barker Road Bridge construction sites were making the stretch dangerous. In the last week, construction crews and sheriff’s deputies have cleared debris and restrung buoys that were washed out by the spring runoff, making that portion of the river safe enough to reopen, he said.

Flows in the river seem to be about half what they were when commissioners closed the river, Knezovich said.

Jim Camden

Boat ramp closed as water level rises

The Post Falls boat ramp has closed temporarily because of recent storms that have sharply increased river flows into Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Avista Utilities will reopen the spill gates at the Post Falls Dam to allow the additional water to flow through. Post Falls city regulations call for the boat ramp at Q’emiln Park to close whenever the spill gates are open, Avista said in a news release.

Avista expects to stop spilling water in about a week, allowing the boat ramp to reopen, weather permitting. The lake level usually is maintained at 2,128 feet above sea level through Labor Day.

Alison Boggs