Service calls include 18 structure fires

Among 237 calls in the seven days that ended Wednesday, Spokane Valley firefighters rescued a couple of people who got locked in their garage.

Deputy Fire Marshal Bill Clifford said a woman and child were trapped Aug. 8 when they entered their garage through a kitchen door that accidentally locked behind them.

The outside door to the garage in the 10900 block of East Mission was padlocked.

Clifford said the woman used a cell phone to call for help, and slid the padlock key under the garage door when firefighters arrived.

There were 18 structure fires in the period, including one in which a man burned his hand and arm while refueling a gasoline-powered generator he was operating inside his home.

The incident occurred about 2:50 a.m. last Saturday at 4916 E. Sixth Ave. Clifford said gasoline ignited when it was spilled on the hot engine, causing about $2,000 worth of damage in addition to the injury.

It was not known why the victim risked carbon monoxide poisoning, if not a fire, by running a generator indoors, Clifford said.

Another fire, at 8:43 a.m. Aug. 8, destroyed a home at 18513 E. Hermosa Circle. The loss was estimated at $450,000, but no one was injured.

Clifford said the fire was caused by boys playing with matches and candles. He urged parents to keep matches, cigarette lighters and other smoking supplies out of sight as well as out of reach of children.

Wind and lightning contributed to some of the structure fires as well as 15 brush fires. Clifford said lightning caused a one-acre grass fire about 2:15 a.m. last Saturday in the 2400 block of South Zephyr Road in Liberty Lake.

Another small grass fire, about 7:20 a.m. Aug. 7 on the north side of Interstate 90, between the Argonne and Sprague interchanges, apparently was caused by a motorist’s cigarette, Clifford said.

If caught, the culprit could be fined $1,025.

In other calls, Clifford said firefighters responded 169 medical emergencies, nine false or minor building alarms and 21 vehicle accidents that sent five people to hospitals with moderate injuries.