Friday, October 09, 2009

fire press release

ISSUING OFFICER: AC Schaeffer
DATE OF INCIDENT: 10/9/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 206 South Post
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: On Friday October 9, 2009 at 10:38 AM, 7 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 3 Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Pumper-Ladder and 3-Senior Ladders under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Ken Kirsch and Craig Cornelius responded to a reported fire in the building at 206 South Post, the Carlyle Residential Care and
Assisted Living Community.

The seven story building was originally constructed in 1892 as the Carlyle Hotel and was most recently renovated in 2003. The Carlyle now provides residential and assisted care for individuals 18 years of age and older with varying levels of mobility. The building currently has 72 furnished client rooms with occupancy of 126 residents.

When the first company arrived, they were met by facility staff which advised smoke was visible on the interior of the building in the basement area. Due to the conditions and building's high-risk occupants, the alarm was upgraded to include the balance of a second alarm-plus incident to extinguish the fire and manage the evacuation and transportation of 100% of residents and staff to the Central Methodist Church at 518 W 3rd Avenue as prescribed by the facility's disaster plan.

Initial arriving Engines were assigned to supporting the building's fire suppression system while additional Ladder and Engine Companies were utilized to gain access to the basement and locate and extinguish the fire. Other companies were spread throughout the building on multiple floors to search for occupants and to check for extension of the fire with thermal imaging cameras. It took 43 Firefighters 45 minutes to locate and extinguish the fire and control the incident. Firefighters were able to limit the damage to the northeast first-floor area and basement below the fire. Two STA Transit buses were used by the command team to transport the residents to the Church's shelter.

No civilians or firefighters were injured as a result of the incident. All residents were transported in an orderly fashion and managed from a medical perspective by SFD and AMR Paramedics.


PROBABLE CAUSE: The cause of the fire was discarded smoking materials which spread to flooring on the building's interior.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Firefighters successfully confined the fire to a 10x10 area on the first level in the flooring and small area on the exterior wall.
DOLLAR LOSS: 10,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 50
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Sunday, October 04, 2009

fire press release

ISSUING OFFICER: Mike Inman / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 10/3/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 8410 Palm Pl.
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99208

NARRATIVE: On October 3, 2009 at 1047 am the Spokane Fire Department responded on a call to 8410 Palm Pl. The owner said they were using a gas fire insert and could smell wood smoke. Due to the quick thinking of the resident the gas insert was turned off and the Fire Department was called. Four Engines, a Ladder truck, a Rescue unit and 2 Battalion Chiefs responded. The first Engine on scene quickly extinguished the fire in an exterior wall of the structure using a 1 ¾" hose line. Additional Fire crews checked the attic for extension, checked the interior walls using a thermal imagining camera, put down tarps to minimize the damage to the inside of the home and ventilated the smoke out of the structure. Due to the quick fire attack some of the crews were able to return in service in a short period of time. A Fire Investigator was called to try and determine the cause of the fire inside a wall in the vicinity of gas fired insert. Although this fire does not appear to be caused by improper use or poor maintenance the Spokane Fire Department would like to remind residents to check their heating devices for proper operation and maintenance as we enter the heating season.



PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation
DAMAGE EXTENT: 2 vertical structural supports were slightly damaged by fire. Exterior siding of the structure, some electrical wiring and interior sheet rock was damaged by either fire or fire crews opening up the structure to extinguish the fire.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 21
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE