Fire Roundup: Oil soaked rags spark garage fire

Rags that had been soaked in peanut oil are apparently to blame for a fire that consumed a garage near Eighth Avenue and Barker Road last week.

The homeowner had taken the oil soaked rags and washed them and dried them. Once the rags came of the dryer they were piled in the garage, said Spokane Valley Fire Department spokeswoman Melanie Rose.

“There was still enough peanut oil and enough heat that they spontaneously combusted,” Rose said.

One person was at home at the time of the fire on Sept. 21 and made it out of the house safely. The garage was destroyed and the roof was collapsing, Rose said.

“The fire was contained to the garage,” she said. “The firewall did it’s job in this case.”

Damages are estimated at $70,000.

Other calls from Sept. 21-27

Sept. 21: Four arson fires were reported at 11428 E. Upriver Drive, at the Centennial Trail trailhead below the Arbor Crest Winery, at 4200 S. Sullivan Road and at 9000 E. 44th Ave. Four other arson fires were reported in other fire department jurisdiction the same day. The Department of Natural Resources is leading the investigation.

Sept. 24: A plume of smoke was reported in the area of 4400 block of North Fruit Hill Road. The plume turned out to be dust created by a farmer working in his field in Spokane County Fire District 9.

Sept. 25: Burning food filled a house with smoke in the 3000 block of South Boliver Road. A five car crash was reported at Mission Avenue and Mullen Road. Two people were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Sept. 26: A two car crash was reported at 11500 E. Upriver Drive. One woman had to be cut from her car, but she was able to climb out on her own after the roof was cut off.

Sept. 27: A fire was reported in the 1800 block of North Flora Road. The residents had just finished roasting marshmallows over a backyard fire and were informed of the burn ban currently in place.

By the numbers: Crews responded to 306 call from Sept. 21-27 including 255 calls for emergency medical services. The responses included 15 car crashes and one hazardous materials call.