In brief: Man, daughter hurt in car explosion

A car being driven through Spokane’s Garland district Sunday afternoon exploded, injuring the driver and his young daughter.

Both were taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for treatment, and the man was to be flown to the UW Medicine Regional Burn Center at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The explosion around 2:15 p.m. severely damaged the car, blowing out windows, buckling doors and turning out the trunk. The car came to rest on West Garland Avenue at Howard Street, in front of a chiropractic office.

Spokane police said the cause of the explosion was under investigation. The Spokane Explosive Disposal Unit was brought in to make sure no further danger was present, and the Spokane fire marshal took over the case.

N. Idaho man dies, driver hurt in crash

A North Idaho man was killed and a young driver injured when their car collided with an SUV Sunday on the Newport Highway in Chattaroy.

William A. Smyth, 65, of Laclede, Idaho, died at the scene of the accident about 10:35 a.m., the Washington State Patrol said. He was in a Geo Metro driven by Jeremiah J. Smyth, 18, of Laclede. The younger Smyth was taken by air ambulance to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. He was listed in satisfactory condition Sunday evening.

The Metro was southbound on U.S. Highway 2 when it collided with a Chevrolet Suburban headed west on Schlomer Road, the WSP said.

The driver of the Suburban, David A. Petroske, 45, of Chattaroy, received minor injuries.

Vacant house fire called suspicious

Spokane fire officials are calling a Sunday afternoon house fire suspicious because the property was vacant.

The two-story house at 2203 S. Inland Empire Way was gutted on the second level, where the fire began, Spokane Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Green said.

Responding shortly before 3 p.m., about two dozen firefighters extinguished the blaze.

The gas meter was blocked and the electric meter had been removed, Green said, reducing the chances the fire started accidentally. The cause is under investigation.

Body on beach; girl, 8, alive in car

GRAYLAND, Wash. – Officials are investigating after someone on a southwest Washington beach found a woman’s body – as well as the woman’s 8-year-old daughter alive inside a car that had been surrounded by the tide.

KING-TV reported that according to the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, the 36-year-old woman parked the car on the beach in Grayland on Sunday and told the girl to stay inside. She said she was going fishing.

Someone walking on the beach found the woman’s body Sunday afternoon, and the child was found in the vehicle, which had become surrounded by water as the tide came in.

The girl was not injured. Police were looking for relatives for her to stay with.

Sheriff Scott Johnson said there were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play.

Two people injured in small plane crash

CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. – Two people have been seriously hurt in a small plane crashed on Camano Island.

KOMO-TV reported that the Cessna 182 went down around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer.

Camano Island fire officials said a man on board was taken by ambulance to a local hospital while a woman on board was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Fire officials didn’t give the extent of the injuries but said both patients were stable.

The cause of the crash was unknown. Kenitzer said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Man arrested after chase in ambulance

BILLINGS – Montana police say a 29-year-old man stole an ambulance and led them on a high-speed, 75-mile chase before the vehicle rolled on Interstate 90 just before 11 p.m. Saturday.

The Billings Gazette reported Cody Lee Paine was taken into custody in the incident involving a stolen American Medical Response ambulance.

The ambulance was reportedly taken from a Billings restaurant parking lot around 9:45 p.m. Just how the ambulance was stolen was unclear.

According to law enforcement, Paine’s top speed was around 100 mph before the chase ended.

Officers said that during the chase Paine had the ambulance’s siren on, but not its blinking lights.

Paine, who suffered only minor injuries that were treated at the scene, had a driver’s license out of Texas but appeared to be homeless.

Quake rattles parts of Vancouver Island

VANCOUVER, B.C. – A moderate earthquake struck off Canada’s southern Pacific coast early Sunday, rattling parts of Vancouver Island.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Earthquakes Canada said the 5.7-magnitude quake hit about 6:20 a.m. local time. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the same magnitude and said it struck about 96 miles south of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.

Earthquakes Canada said the quake was lightly felt across the northern part of the island.

There was no tsunami alert.

Progress made on Oregon fires

GLENDALE, Ore. – Favorable weather helped firefighters make progress against some of Oregon’s wildfires in the last few days, but officials say hotter temperatures and increased danger loom.

About 2,400 personnel on Sunday continued fighting the Douglas complex of fires north of Glendale, the state’s largest at nearly 35,000 acres. Officials said about 30 homes remained threatened, and the fires were 15 percent contained.