Region in brief: Device thrown into home starts fire

Spokane police and fire officials are investigating a possible arson fire after an incendiary device was thrown through the window of a lower South Hill home Wednesday night.

Fire crews were called to the home near 14th Avenue and Walnut Street about 7:30 p.m., after the home’s resident reported that two devices made of fuel and wick were thrown at the house.

Only one device smashed through a front window of the home, causing a small fire on the carpet in a foyer, said Spokane Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Brown. The resident put the fire out before crews arrived, he said.

Spokane police and fire officials were investigating, Brown said.

Sara Leaming

Congress adds funds for Fairchild projects

Fairchild Air Force Base is expected to receive an extra $15 million next year for two new major construction projects.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Wednesday that Congress added $11 million for a new Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Complex at the U.S. Air Force Survival School, which will replace some buildings that are more than 50 years old and expensive to operate because they are inefficient.

It also added $4.1 million for a refueling maintenance facility that would consolidate some operations for the active duty unit, the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, and the Air National Guard unit, the 141st Air Refueling Wing, which now share planes and assignments at Fairchild.

“The funding will give a boost to Spokane’s local economy, while at the same time providing essential, lifesaving services to our military,” Murray said in a news release.

Jim Camden

Deer freed after fall through lake ice

Spokane Valley firefighters rescued a young whitetail deer Wednesday after the it wandered onto thin ice at Liberty Lake and became stranded.

Crews from the Spokane Fire Department were called to the 2000 block of South Liberty Lake Drive around 10 a.m., after a resident reported a deer had fallen through the ice and was stuck.

Firefighters trained in ice rescue reached the deer and tugged it to shore, where it was set free.

The animal didn’t appear to be injured, officials said.

The rescue took about 15 minutes, officials said.

Sara Leaming