Pan frying sparks two kitchen fires

Two people were injured last week in fires in Spokane Valley and several birds also died in one of those fires.

A 70-year-old man was welding in his driveway on June 8 when a fire began in his garage at 6:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of South University Road. “The garage door was open and sparks from welding obviously caught something on fire,” said assistant fire marshal Bill Clifford. “He did sustain some second-degree burns on the back of both hands. He attempted to (put it out) and tried to remove items from the garage.”

The fire spread to the house and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. The man did not have insurance and is being assisted by the American Red Cross. Clifford said the Spokane Valley Fire Benevolent Fund will likely also provide some assistance.

A 70-year-old woman escaped unscathed but her son received first-degree burns on one hand in a fire in the 18800 block of East Boone Avenue on June 9. Someone had put a pan of oil on the stove, turned the burner on and then left the kitchen and forgot about it, Clifford said. “Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking,” Clifford advised. “If you leave the kitchen, set a timer so you don’t forget.”

The fire was contained to the kitchen, but there was heavy smoke damage in the home. Three dogs made it out safely, but 15 birds died in their cage. The fire damage is estimated at $40,000 and the homeowner apparently only had limited insurance, Clifford said. The Red Cross is assisting the family.

Another forgotten pan of oil sparked a kitchen fire one minute after midnight on June 5 in the 7300 block of East Seventh Avenue. Clifford said four children were home alone and an 11-year-old was attempting to make donuts. “The only damage sustained was to the top of the stove and the pan,” Clifford said. “We arrived quickly enough to contain the fire.”

All the children were crying and firefighters tried to calm them down until their parents arrived, Clifford said.

A brush fire was reported on June 9 in the 400 block of North Walnut Street and firefighters found a small fire underneath a tree in front of a home. “It was just burning the pine needles under the tree, but if it had gotten away it would have gone straight up that pine tree and into the house fairly quickly,” Clifford said. The fire is under investigation.

The rest of the week from June 3-9, authorities received 174 calls. There were 14 vehicle accidents and 11 people taken to the hospital with nonlife threatening injuries, Clifford said. There was only one service call, for a child left inside a car at Lowe’s on Broadway Avenue.