Team finds source of garbage-fire illness

A hazmat team has discovered the toxic substance that sickened five firefighters and two ambulance crew members Tuesday.

The Spokane Fire Department team found a substance with a high pH level, possibly a cleaning product such as oven cleaner or degreaser, said Fire District 4 Chief Ed Lewis. All victims were released from Sacred Heart Medical Center, and most have returned to work, he said.

The crews fell ill with shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and skin irritation when responding to a fire in a semitruck carrying garbage Tuesday afternoon.

The contents of the garbage fell within the acceptable parameters for solvent waste, and it was incinerated this morning, Lewis said.

– Parker Howell

Teenager suspected of smashing windows

A juvenile suspected of smashing the windows out of more than 30 vehicles in North Spokane was arrested Wednesday.

Police answered a call at 5:30 a.m. that a driver in the area of Fotheringham and Weile was speeding through the neighborhood and “spinning brodies,” said Spokane police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.

When officers arrived, they found that residents had detained three juvenile males. The driver was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, and officers subsequently found a BB gun, DeRuwe said.

Further investigation led to the juvenile’s home, where a vehicle was found that matched the description of one seen during the vandalism spree Monday night.

The juvenile was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center, DeRuwe said.

– Staff reports

Region

State park campsites full for weekend

If you plan to hit the woods this Labor Day weekend, you better already have reservations at campgrounds in Idaho and Washington state parks.

There are no state campsites available in North Idaho or Eastern Washington. That means popular parks such as Farragut, Priest Lake, Riverside and Mount Spokane are full.

Labor Day is one of the most popular camping weekends, said Jennifer Wernex of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation in a press release Wednesday.

There are a handful of state parks in central and south Idaho that had spaces available as of Wednesday afternoon, including Dworshak near Orofino.

It’s the same story in Washington. Osoyoos Lake, just north of Oroville and near the Canadian border, is the only Washington state park with campsites still available.

– Erica Curless