Wrecks caused by driving too fast

The Spokane Valley Fire Department had 196 calls in the seven days that ended Jan. 16, including eight minor structure fires and one vehicle fire.

One hazardous materials investigation turned out to be an overheated furnace, Inspector Bill Clifford said. The call came in as a report of a burning-rubber odor.

He said firefighters responded to eight automatic alarms, mostly false or involving minor incidents.

There were 150 calls for emergency medical service, not counting 17 vehicle accidents. Clifford said 10 crash victims were taken to hospitals with minor to severe injuries.

In the week’s one general service call, firefighters removed a baby that had been left alone in a locked vehicle.

Firefighters had to extricate people from vehicles in three of the wrecks, the most serious of which was a two-car crash at 28th Avenue and State Route 27 about 6 p.m. Tuesday, Clifford said.

He said most of the wrecks involved people driving too fast on icy roads, and some of the emergency medical calls probably also were weather-related.

“Take it slower and keep an eye on the temperature,” Clifford advised. “When it starts to go down, that’s when things start to happen.”