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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Liberty Lake fire crews extinguish string of vehicle blazes

A few odd vehicle fires kept the Spokane Valley Fire Department busy the week of Oct. 6-12.

A semitruck pulling an empty flatbed trailer pulled over at the weigh station on Interstate 90 near Stateline the evening of Oct. 6 when the driver noticed his truck was on fire. The truck had just filled up with fuel in Post Falls, said Fire Marshal Kevin Miller.

The semi was a total loss. A firefighter found the truck’s fuel filter and a section of the gas line lying in the road nearby, Miller said. “It had probably already burned through,” he said.

The driver and his passenger were unharmed.

A suspicious car fire was reported around 11 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the 4900 block of North Evergreen Road. It appears that someone poured flammable liquid on the outside of two cars and lit them on fire, Miller said. The incident is under investigation.

The third car fire was also on I-90 near Stateline. The fire was reported at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters noticed a large amount of oil on the road leading up to the car. “There was a long line of oil to follow before the car pulled over and caught on fire,” Miller said.

Other incidents from Oct. 6-12

Oct. 6: An oven fire was reported at 5:30 p.m. in an apartment in the 2700 block of North Bowdish Road. Food left on the stove caught on fire in the 2300 block of North Park at 7:20 p.m.

Oct. 7: A grease fire was reported at Twigs Bistro at the Spokane Valley Mall at 7:40 a.m.

A man welding a gate started a grass fire that spread to some bushes shortly after 3 p.m. in the 9400 block of East First.

Oct. 8: An electrical short in a water heater started a small fire at the Ramada Inn at 900 N. Sullivan Road at 5:15 a.m.

A small grass fire was reported in the area of 32nd Avenue and Highway 27.

Oct. 10: A house fire that claimed the lives of three dogs and two birds was reported in the 4900 block of North Powell Road. The woman living there was treated for smoke inhalation. Several other pets were able to be rescued. The electrical fire caused $50,000 in damage.

Oct. 11: A grass fire was reported behind the gas station in the 200 block of South Pines Road.

A deep fat fryer caught fire at the Albertsons at Trent Avenue and Argonne Road.

By the numbers: Crews responded to 270 calls, including 205 emergency medical services calls. The calls also included 11 car accidents and four illegal recreational fires. Two reports of unusual odors turned out to be a chemical used to finish concrete.