Snow brings more wrecks

It was a relatively quiet week that ended Wednesday for Spokane Valley Fire Department firefighters, with the exception of a spike in traffic accidents caused by the snow on Wednesday.

The department typically sees between six and 10 traffic accidents in a week, said assistant fire marshal Bill Clifford. Firefighters responded to 10 weather-related accidents just on Wednesday, but none was serious.

A trailer fire was reported in the 5100 block of North Eastland Drive just before 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 9. The cause was traced to heat tape wrapped around pipes underneath the trailer, Clifford said. “Nobody ever checks on it,” he said. “It’s constantly plugged in. Have the wires cracked over the years? Heat tape doesn’t last forever.”

No one was injured in the fire. A damage estimate has not been completed yet.

A vehicle fire was reported in the 15400 block of East Second Avenue at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. It is believed to be arson, Clifford said. “It’s still under investigation.”

There were a total of 233 calls during the week and 186 of them were EMS calls. One child was reported locked inside a car and firefighters responded to the same location in Millwood two days in a row regarding a water main break. “It was just a leak, not a huge sinkhole in the ground,” Clifford said.