Fire roundup: Spokane Valley crews busy with I-90 wreck, pursuit crash, hit pedestrian
The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to several calls the week of Feb. 12 to Feb. 18, including three motor vehicle accidents and reports of water leaks.
On Feb. 13 around 9 p.m., fire crews responded to a call reporting a two-car wreck on eastbound I-90 near the Argonne Road interchange. A Honda Accord rear-ended a Volkswagen Jetta. The driver of the Honda was transported to a hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries.
A high-speed pursuit resulted in a two-car crash occurring on Feb. 12 around 9:15 p.m. near the 15500 block of East Trent Avenue.
Deputies were in pursuit of a 33-year-old man driving a Chevrolet Impala sedan when his vehicle struck a Toyota Sequoia SUV. Fire crews arrived to assist deputies and treat the drivers. The driver of the SUV was wearing her seat belt and sustained minor injuries. The sedan driver was complaining of leg pain and was transported to a hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries.
A vehicle struck a pedestrian on Feb. 15 around 5:45 p.m. near the 6500 block of East Sixth Avenue. A 34-year-old man was walking west on Sixth Avenue when he was struck by a vehicle traveling east. The driver told fire crews he saw the pedestrian, but hit a patch of ice and was unable to stop. Witnesses said the pedestrian was unconscious for about a minute and when he regained consciousness, he was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital with head trauma.
Other calls Feb. 13-18
Feb. 13: Fire crews around 1:35 a.m. responded to a report of an odd smell near the 12200 block of East Boone Avenue. When crews arrived, they found a running generator next to a house that was creating an exhaust smell. Crews checked the home with natural gas monitors and couldn’t smell or see anything out of the ordinary. Fire Department spokeswoman Melanie Rose said it’s important – especially during winter – to keep generators away from the house and garage, because they can emit carbon dioxide that can seep into a home through vents or a dog door.
Feb. 13: Firefighters responded to a call at 7:10 a.m. near the 8800 block of East Buckeye Avenue. When crews arrived, they found an occupant in a small motorhome with a weed burner attached to a small propane tank that was used for heat. The flame was 2 feet from the ceiling, but the occupant refused to put out the fire and shut the door on fire crews. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Department arrived and explained the fire hazard to the occupant, who then put out the fire.
Feb 14: Crews at 3:53 p.m. responded to a report of a truck with its cab engulfed in flames near the 600 block of South McKinnon Road. When crews arrived, they quickly extinguished the fire. At first, there was no sign of the driver, but he arrived with two friends to tow the vehicle. The driver said he was using a snowplow on the truck and a malfunction occurred that caused the vehicle to drive in reverse. At that point, the driver walked to his house down the street to get help towing the truck and that’s when the vehicle caught fire. Investigators determined the cause of the fire was mechanical.
Feb. 16: Firefighters at 9:51 p.m. responded to a call about a broken faucet at Spokane Valley City Hall. Crews observed the broken faucet on the northwest corner and shut the water off.
Feb. 17: Crews responded to a call about a water problem at 2:20 a.m. near the 9700 block of East Sixth Avenue. An apartment complex resident called 911 because they were unable to shut off the bathtub faucet. When crews arrived, the occupant refused to answer the door and called 911 again for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Before deputies could arrive, the occupant let fire crews in, who shut the faucet off. The resident said she didn’t feel safe in her apartment, so once deputies arrived, they took her to the Kootenai Behavioral Health facility upon her request.
By the numbers: Crews responded to 320 calls during the week of Feb. 12 to Feb. 18, including eight fire calls, 15 alarm system response calls, 265 emergency medical service calls, one extrication call, two hazardous material calls, 24 motor vehicle accident calls and five service calls.