Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Bob Green
DATE OF INCIDENT: 1/27/2007
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2227 W. Sharp
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: Fire fighting crews of the Spokane City Fire Dept. responded to 2227 W Sharp at 3:35 on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 27th for a reported house on fire. A plume of smoke was visible in the morning sky as fire apparatus were approaching the scene. The first crew arrived at the address to find a number of large stored items burning freely in a storage area outside of and to the rear of the residence. That first arriving fire crew rapidly laid an attack lead and were able to get the fire knocked down very quickly, their fast work prevented the fire from doing any serious damage to the interior of the residence and from extending to the neighboring house which was separated from the fire house by only a foot or two. Two wheel chair bound females, a mother and her daughter, were assisted from the house by other fire fighters as the fire was being extinguished. There were no reported injuries to any fire fighters or civilians at the scene. The elderly mother was placed into a waiting ambulance and evaluated by paramedics at the scene. She was later cleared to be able to return to her home after the toxic smoke had been removed. An alert neighbor saw the fire and called 9-1-1 which helped in the rapid response to the scene by fire fighters. Six fire apparatus responded to this incident along with 2 command vehicles. The fire is considered to be suspicious at this time and is being carefully investigated by Fire Dept. officials.
PROBABLE CAUSE: This fire is considered to be suspicious at this time and is being investigated by Fire Dept. Investigators.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Multiple items that were being stored outside of the residence were destroyed or heavily damaged. A window in the house was broken by the heat of the fire and that heat along with the smoke did some minor damage to the interior of the house.
DOLLAR LOSS: 5,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given