Fire roundup: Lighter sets yard ablaze
The weather has been hot and dry for so long that any little thing has the potential to start a damaging fire, as one homeowner recently discovered.
The resident had been using a lighter to soften plastic during a sprinkler system repair at his home and accidently set his landscaping on fire, said Spokane Valley Fire Department spokesman Melanie Rose.
When firefighters arrived at his home at 32nd Avenue and McDonald Road the evening of Aug. 3, they found a vinyl fence and several bushes on fire, Rose said. The fire spread to encompass about 3,500 square feet.
Other calls from Aug. 3-9
Aug. 3: Someone digging in the front yard of a home in the 19100 block of East Cane Circle hit a natural gas line. A one-car rollover accident was reported on westbound I-90 between the Pines and Argonne exits. The driver was able to get out of the car before crews arrived.
Aug. 4: Firefighters responded to a balcony fire at 13303 E. Mission Ave. after someone attempted to put out a cigarette in a potted plant. The resident spotted it early and was able to put it out with a fire extinguisher. Crews responded to Spokane to assist with a water rescue after a man jumped off the Monroe Street Bridge. A firefighter at Station 4 witnessed an accident between a car and a motorcycle in front of the station and the crew quickly aided the motorcycle rider, who was taken to the hospital.
Aug. 5: A propane barbecue located next to a house in the 13600 block of East 12th Avenue was reported to be on fire. The homeowners were able to put the flames out before firefighters arrived.
Aug. 7: An oven fire was reported in the 8600 block of East Liberty Avenue. A woman had to be extricated from her SUV after she collided head on with a delivery truck at Sprague Avenue and University Road.
Aug. 8: Crews doing training in the area of Bowdish Middle School found burned Q-tips and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
By the numbers: Firefighters responded to 324 calls between Aug. 3-9, including 257 for emergency medical services. Responses included 25 car accidents, a broken RV water hookup and three vehicle fires. Crews were sent to three brush fires in Spokane County.