Valley fire roundup: Cooking oil sets house on fire
Flaming oil started a kitchen fire that did more than $20,000 damage to a Spokane Valley home recently, but firefighters were able to free a dog trapped in the garage.
Spokane Valley Fire Department crews were called to 12818 E. 10th Ave. on June 10 just before noon. The homeowner said he had been deep-frying fish on the stove when he went outside to do something. He returned to the kitchen after hearing the smoke alarm activate and found a large fire.
Once fire crews arrived and began fighting the fire, they were told about a dog trapped in the garage. Firefighters were able to free it.
Investigators confirmed the fire was started by olive oil that got too hot and caught fire, said department spokeswoman Melanie Rose. In addition to the damage to the home, there was another $10,000 in estimated damage to the home’s contents.
Other calls
from June 6-19
June 7: Three small smoldering fires were reported in landscape bark in the 12700 block of East Sprague Avenue. Numerous discarded cigarette butts were found in the area.
The swift water rescue team assisted the Spokane Fire Department with a river rescue west of downtown Spokane.
June 10: A broken, burning power pole was reported in the 2700 block of South Zephyr Road.
June 12: Firefighters were called to the 3200 block of North Fowler Road. The homeowner was burning pieces of lumber and other debris in a fire pit, which is illegal. The fire was put out.
Crews helped rescue an elderly dog that had fallen and gotten stuck between a hedge and a home’s porch in the 12700 block of East 24th Avenue. The dog was unharmed.
June 14: A spill was reported in the westbound lanes of Montgomery Avenue between Locust and Farr roads. The substance turned out to be about 25 gallons of used cooking oil.
June 15: Crews were called to an apartment as 12925 E. Mansfield Ave. for a reported fire sprinkler activation. There was no active fire, but crews found a large wooden spool that was apparently being used as an ashtray and was charred.
June 19: A large grass fire was reported just off the Harvard Road exit on Interstate 90 around 11 a.m. A burning lawn mower was discovered at the center of the fire. The mower reportedly malfunctioned and started the grass on fire.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 613 calls between June 6 and 19, including 482 calls for emergency medical services. Other responses included 45 car crashes, a small child accidentally locked inside a car, and two callers concerned that fire hydrants in Liberty Lake were leaking, but were unaware that the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District was simply flushing the system.