In brief: House fires blamed on kitchen mishaps

A Pop-Tart that caught fire in a toaster caused extensive damage to a Spokane Valley home Thursday.

Firefighters responded to 12021 E. 25th Ave. at 7:52 a.m., according to a Spokane Valley Fire Department news release. The homeowners told crews they found the toaster on fire when they returned to the kitchen moments after putting the pastry in the toaster.

No injuries were reported, but there was heavy fire damage to the kitchen and smoke damage throughout the house. Investigators estimate $60,000 in damages.

Spokane Valley firefighters later responded to another cooking fire at 7002 E. Second Ave. at 1:07 p.m. Thursday.

The fire, which started in the kitchen, was caused by a pan and its contents being left on the stove.

A tenant was sleeping when the fire started, but was awakened by the smoke, the news release said. Her smoke detector was defective.

According to fire officials, cooking fires are the leading cause of fires in the U.S.

Chelsea Bannach

Student accused of making racial threats

A Medical Lake High School student was arrested Thursday after allegedly making racially motivated threats to another student.

The 17-year-old student was expelled from school and booked in the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center for felony malicious harassment after he allegedly called a black student a racially derogative name.

The victim and witnesses told a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy the suspect had repeatedly used racial slurs while speaking with the victim and had shown him a picture of hooded Ku Klux Klan members hanging President Barack Obama.

The victim told deputies he felt threatened.

Chelsea Bannach

Governor to visit Silver Valley town

BOISE – The governor’s plans to make the North Idaho town of Mullan the centerpiece of his Capital for a Day program are back on.

Gov. Butch Otter postponed the event last month as the town dealt with ongoing efforts to rescue a miner trapped in a tunnel in the Lucky Friday mine. Larry “Pete” Marek’s body was recovered in the 6,150-foot deep tunnel on Easter.

Otter has rescheduled his visit to Mullan for May 25.

The governor called the Silver Valley community “tough and resilient” in a statement.

Associated Press