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July 19, 2011 in City
In brief: Oxygen tanks cited in deadly house fire
A woman died of smoke inhalation in her northeast Spokane home after a cigarette ignited her oxygen tanks, fire officials said Monday.
Inez L. Williams, 67, had oxygen flowing when fire consumed her home at 4128 E. Princeton Ave. on Friday about 2 p.m., said Brian Schaeffer, assistant fire chief.
Fire officials ruled the accidental fire was caused by “careless smoking” with medical oxygen, Schaeffer said.
Firefighters fought through heavy flames and smoke and were hit with fragments from pressurized oxygen tanks exploding in the blaze, which also killed several dogs and cats.
“They all truly did everything they could to reach her,” Schaeffer said.
Family dispute led to attack, police say
An ongoing dispute between a man and his son-in-law culminated in a knife attack at a northwest Spokane home Friday, police said.
Vernon Ray Zielinski, 57, was arrested for first-degree assault after his son-in-law, Tad Howard, and witnesses said Zielinski stabbed him in the hand as Howard tried to fight off the attack.
Family members told police that Zielinski had threatened Howard before and once wrote him a letter saying he wanted to “cut him into little pieces” and mail him to his mother, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police said three young children witnessed the attack at 5112 W. Rosewood Ave.
Participants sought for memory research
Psychology researchers at Washington State University are recruiting people with memory problems to participate in a study.
The research is intended to help people with memory problems and their partners.
Participants must be at least 50 years old with memory problems spanning six months or more. They must have a spouse or other family or friend willing to participate.
The study will be designed around treatment and intervention groups in Spokane and Lewiston. For more information, call (509) 335-4033, ext. 1.
1992 murder trial begins against sex offender 
Orphan on July 19 at 7:51 a.m.
So the oxygen tanks exploded and killed several dogs, I guess the safetys on the oxygen bottles failed.
A cigarette ignited her oxygen tanks, that was some cigarette or really weird oxygen tanks.
Thats some pretty poor reporting.
Kivaari on July 19 at 8:47 a.m.
Orphan, She violated safe practices. The oxygen just fed her cigarette which the fed a larger fire. The tanks didn’t fail, she did.
Orphan on July 19 at 12:17 p.m.
Kivaari I 100% agree with you, if you have even half a brain you dont smoke around oxygen.
My point was to the reporter was the cigarette did not ignite the oxygen tanks and the tanks likely did not expolde. Oxygen acts like an accelerator for any fire the more oxygen the faster and hotter a fire will burn. The tanks have a safety valve that will release all the oxygen in a big hurry and really intensify a fire. Most likely the firefighters were hit by debris that were blown around when the safety valves released the high pressure oxygen. There would have been a really large explosion if the safety valves had failed, If the tanks had actually blown up with firefighters in close proximity we would be talking about major injuries.