Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Pedestrian hit by SUV; vacant home for sale damaged
The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to several calls between March 26 to April 8 involving a vehicle-pedestrian accident, a chicken coop fire and a house fire in Otis Orchards.
A 55-year-old man was struck April 4 by an SUV while crossing the street around 7:55 p.m. on the 12300 block of East Sprague Avenue.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found the man lying in the middle of the road. The SUV had a small dent on its bumper. The man was transported to the hospital for complaints of arm, shoulder and back pain.
Firefighters on March 30 responded to a call reporting light smoke coming from the attic of a vacant home around 5:20 p.m. on the 5000 block of North Chase Road near Otis Orchards. Crews arrived at the scene, extinguished the fire and opened up the attic to remove insulation.
The homeowner said the house had recently been renovated and was days away from being sold. The home sustained $75,000 in damages.
Although investigators couldn’t determine the origin of the fire, they said it was electrical in nature.
Other calls March 26-April 8
March 30: Crews responded to a vehicle fire about 3:40 p.m. on the 10000 block of East Broadway Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they observed light smoke in the vehicle’s interior. The fire had originated in the vehicle’s dashboard, and the owner extinguished it. The vehicle sustained $5,000 in damages. The cause of the fire was undetermined.
March 31: Firefighters responded to an illegal yard waste burning call around 10:50 p.m on the 11500 block of East Fourth Avenue. When crews arrived, the resident was putting out the fire. Crews advised him that burning yard waste is not permitted.
April 1: Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire about 1:30 p.m. on the 18600 block of East Grace Avenue. A passerby reported a tall shrub fire. Crews responded and ensured the fire was extinguished. The homeowner said he was using a weed burner when it caught the 6-foot tall shrub on fire. Crews advised the homeowner to discontinue using the weed burner.
April 3: Crews responded to a call reporting a strong odor in a home around 5:30 a.m. on the 5600 block of Vista Grande Drive. When crews arrived, they determined there was an overheated motor in the home’s furnace that was malfunctioning because of a dirty filter. Crews checked the house for hotspots and advised the homeowner to shut down the furnace until she could have it serviced.
April 4: A chicken coop caught fire around 9 a.m. on the 23200 block of East Trent Avenue. When crews arrived at the scene, they observed heavy smoke emanating from the coop. The fire was likely caused by two broken heat lamps in the coop. It was unknown if the chickens were able to safely evacuate.
April 6: Firefighters responded to a call at 3:30 p.m. in a new construction development on the 200 block of South Glennbrook Street in Greenacres. A construction crew hit a 1-inch buried gas line with an excavator. Firefighters requested construction crews to stay clear of the site until Avista Utilities arrived at the scene.
April 8: The fire department responded to a call around 5 a.m. from Spokane County Fire District 13, which requested an investigator response to the 20300 block of East Mountain View Road. A fire originated in an outbuilding that contained a sauna. The investigator determined the fire was accidental in nature and caused by a wood fire stove converted to heat the sauna.
By the numbers: The Spokane Valley Fire Department from March 26 to April 8 responded to 595 calls, including 30 fire calls, 27 alarm system response calls, 489 emergency medical service calls, two water rescue calls, three hazardous material calls, 39 motor vehicle accident calls and five service calls.