Overheated ceiling light starts house fire, couple escapes
An elderly couple safely escaped their burning home last week after a recessed ceiling light started an attic fire.
The fire in the 11000 block of East Cataldo Avenue was reported around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The fire was traced to a recessed ceiling light, said Spokane Valley Fire Department spokeswoman Melanie Rose.
Insulation had been placed on top of the light and a 100-watt light bulb had been placed in the fixture, which was supposed to have a 40-watt bulb in it, Rose said. The combination of the two made the fixture overheat.
Damage to the home is estimated at $10,000, and about $20,000 in damage was done to the contents, Rose said.
Other calls from June 8-14
June 8: Crews assisted Spokane County Fire District 8 with a brush fire near Dishman-Mica and Hidden Hollow roads.
June 9: Someone poured gasoline on a mattress inside a mobile home in the 17500 block of East Sprague Avenue and set it on fire. He then apparently attempted to put it out with a garden hose. An arrest has been made in the case.
June 10: A crew assisted a disabled person whose wheelchair had become stuck in some rocks in the 9900 block of East 16th Avenue. An extrication crew was called to the 11400 block of East 18th Avenue. An SUV went through a fence and crashed into a carport and a boat. The top rail of the fence had gone in through a rear window and exited through the windshield. The driver was taken to a local hospital.
June 11: A crew helping cover the City of Spokane while their fire crews attended a funeral responded to a garage fire in the 2800 block of West Northwest Boulevard. A suspicious brush fire was reported near Fifth Avenue and McKinnon Road just before 6 p.m. Water rescue teams responded to the Upriver Dam on the report of a teenager trapped underwater because his foot was stuck between two rocks. The teen was quickly rescued, but he died the next day.
June 12: A train crew reported seeing what they believed to be a body in the area of Spokane Falls Boulevard and Cincinnati Street on the shore of the Spokane River. The “body” turned out to be a mannequin.
June 13: A wildland fire crew was sent to the Cold Springs Fire.
June 14: A possible fire was reported in the 20700 block of East Happy Trails Lane. It turned out to be a barbecue.
By the numbers: Firefighters responded to 312 calls from June 8-14, including 229 emergency medical services calls. Other responses included several illegal trash fires, 34 car accidents, a water main break and an infant accidentally locked inside a car.