A passer-by who smelled smoke and called 911 may have helped avert a larger fire in a Spokane Valley subdivision on Thanksgiving Day.

An exhaust fan apparently overheated in the bathroom of a home in the 1100 block of South Moen Avenue while the home’s residents were visiting neighbors around 5 p.m., according to the Spokane Valley Fire Department. Plastic in the fan had melted and was dripping down and scorching the floor.

The man who smelled the smoke remained on the scene, using the flashlight in his cellphone to wave firetrucks to the house. The homeowners heard the commotion and came outside to see what was happening.

Three dogs were inside the house, but they weren’t injured, said Battalion Chief Rich Llewellyn.

As a safety measure, the fire department recommends that people turn off fans before they leave the house, Llewellyn said.

Becky Kramer

Parking enforcement crew will feed meters at random

Some lucky downtown Spokane shoppers will get a break on their parking meters, starting today.

Every year, city parking enforcement crews plug coins into random parking meters on Black Friday through New Year’s Day.

City officials say the tradition encourages people to come downtown during the holiday season and support local businesses.

In December 2013, parking enforcement officers gave more than $400 worth of free parking to downtown visitors.

Money for the program comes from the city’s parking meter revenue.

Normal parking meter hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Staff reports