Minor injuries reported in two overnight fires

A Spokane woman awoke early Thursday to flames in her bedroom and her hair on fire.

The fire that caused minor injuries to the woman was one of two that kept Spokane crews busy overnight. A firefighter suffered minor injuries at an earlier fire.

The woman suffered first-degree burns to her hands, and the fire displaced seven people from the rental home at 2625 E. Hartson Ave., fire officials said.

The woman was sleeping in the same bed with her 12-year-old son when the fire woke her just after 3 a.m., fire investigator Lt. Chris Phillips said.

“She said she witnessed fire coming from the electrical receptacle at the head of the bed,” Phillips said. “It’s obviously an accidental fire.”

The house had serious smoke and water damage throughout. The renter did not have renter’s insurance, but the owner of the home did have insurance.

The Red Cross was called to help the displaced residents, Phillips said.

About three hours earlier, at 1630 W. Riverside Ave., Linda Bergeson, awoke about 11:50 p.m. to find fire inside the walls next to her chimney. She had been burning scrap plywood in the fireplace, Phillips said.

Capt. Kevin Smathers suffered sore ribs and back while responding to the Riverside fire, Phillips said. Smathers was in the attic when he crashed through the ceiling to the floor below.

Medical staff examined Smathers at the scene. He did not go to the hospital, Phillips said.