Reaction to stove-top fire good, bad

Quick action kept a stove fire from spreading Tuesday in the 900 block of South Dickey Road.

After a pan of oil caught fire, the residents “actually took the lid, which they are supposed to do, and placed it on top of the pan to cut off the oxygen and turned the burner off,” said Spokane Valley Fire Department Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford.

“The bad thing they did was carry the pan through the house to take it outside.”

People should leave the pan alone in such cases, Clifford said. However, the residents saved the home from damage, he said.

A homeowner in the 12700 block of East 23rd Avenue was reportedly burning some papers in a fireplace Sunday when a couple of aerosol cans got thrown into the flames as well and exploded. Neighbors called in the fire. “They said they saw a fireball in the basement,” Clifford said.

The homeowner received minor burns. Clifford said burning trash in a stove or fireplace is not allowed. “I think they got pretty lucky on that,” he said.

Other recent events from Oct. 24-30:

Sunday: A locomotive was reported on fire in the 10600 block of East Trent Avenue. The middle engine of a three engine train had a fire in its engine compartment. The cause is unknown.

Oct. 28: Someone dug up a residential gas line in the 4300 block of South University Road.

By the numbers: Crews responded to 268 calls, including 207 for emergency medical services. Responses included 20 car accidents, a minor motor home fire, three illegal yard waste fires and five downed power lines/tree branches during a weekend storm.