Minor fires among 201 calls

The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to 201 calls in the seven days that ended Wednesday.

Of the five in which fires were reported, all were minor or unfounded. One involved a fire in a Dumpster at 9405 E. Sprague Ave., Inspector Bill Clifford said.

In addition, there was one vehicle fire.

Clifford said a dozen alarm-system calls were false except for some overcooked food and a couple of frozen pipes that burst.

In two hazardous-materials investigations, callers reported smelling natural gas or propane but firefighters found nothing.

Three calls for general service involved removing a ring from a swollen finger, helping a resident who was locked out of a home, and rescuing two young children accidentally locked inside a vehicle.

In addition to 165 routine emergency medical calls, one person was taken to a hospital in one of 13 vehicle accidents. Clifford said the injured accident victim complained of neck and back pain after sliding off Dishman-Mica Road and hitting a fence.

Most of the traffic accidents were weather-related slide-offs, Clifford said. He urged motorists to look out for pedestrians and beware of losing control in standing water that was expected on roadways this weekend as snow and ice melted.