Blaze prevented in natural gas leak

Spokane Valley Fire Department had a relatively calm week between Jan. 24 and 30 with just 148 calls.

Firefighters responded to only one fire, said David Lobdell, an assistant fire chief. It was extinguished by the time crews arrived.

The stove-top blaze was doused with flour, Lobdell said. “Flour is not a recommended fire extinguisher because under some circumstances it can explode.”

Fire crews responded to eight motor vehicle crashes, but none resulted in people being taken to the hospital, the assistant chief said.

The department had the typical eight fire alarms where there were no fires and two good intent calls, Lobdell said. A call for a child locked in a car and someone locked out of their home, an unauthorized burn, a power line problem and someone who thought they smelled smoke.

The biggest run of the week, outside of medical calls, was a natural gas leak that didn’t ignite, Lobdell said. It was at 1811 S. Conklin Road. A homeowner was having some excavation done, and a portion of dirt landed on a natural gas line, which pulled the meter down and broke the line.

“We were able to shut off a valve and stop the leak,” Lobdell said.

Of the 148 requests for service during the week-long period, 119 were emergency medical service calls.