Spokane Valley Fire roundup: Work crews break gas line, no report of injury

A Spokane Valley Fire Department call that could have ended badly only resulted in a broken gas line, and workers were unharmed.

The department was called to the 5900 block of East 11th Avenue at 1:51 p.m. on Sept. 29 after work crews digging a trench hit a natural gas line. The trench was about 11 feet deep and unstable, said department spokeswoman Julie Happy.

It’s not unusual for trench walls to collapse, and shoring is required to be in place once a trench hits a certain depth, Happy said. That involves using wood or metal sheets to reinforce the sides of the trench to prevent a collapse that could bury workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires trenches to be shored when the depth hits 5 feet, but state law requires shoring at a depth of 4 feet.

Avista Utilities responded to the leak and shut off the gas until the line could be repaired.

Other calls, Sept. 27 to Oct. 3

Sept. 27: A small brush fire was reported along westbound Interstate 90 near the Barker Road exit at 3:24 p.m. The caller reported that a Liberty Lake police officer was attempting to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.

Sept. 28: A smoking electrical box was reported at Sprague Avenue and Conklin Road at 9:45 p.m.

Sept. 30: A power line caught a tree on fire in the area of Upriver Drive and Argonne Road at 11:21 a.m. The line was actively arcing.

Oct. 1: A caller reported a man setting fire to a homeless encampment in the area of Pinecroft Way and Cherry Street at 10:32 a.m. A car crash with extrication was reported at Pines Road and Mansfield Avenue at 11:46 a.m. One vehicle was stuck between two other vehicles, and it was reported that the driver was trapped inside. No extrication proved to be necessary. A two-vehicle crash with a minivan on its side was reported at Country Vista Drive and Liberty Lake Road at 2:08 p.m.

Oct. 2: A vehicle fire was reported on I-90 under the Pines overpass at 11:10 a.m. The vehicle was reported to be a Jeep that had rolled over. All the vehicle occupants were able to get out.

By the numbers: Crews responded to 451 calls the week of Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, including 356 calls for emergency medical services. Other responses included 22 car crashes, 25 fires, a reported fire that turned out to be dust from road construction and a report of a homeowner using a propane tank and open flames to burn grass near a neighbor’s shed.

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Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com.