Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Bob Green
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/15/2007
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 1917 W. Dean
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: The City of Spokane Fire Dept. responded firefighting crews and apparatus to 1917 W Dean on a report of a structure fire at that address at 12:50 AM in the early morning of Thursday, March 15, 2007. The first arriving fire crew reported heavy smoke emanating from the vacant structure with flames visible at a basement window. That crew immediately forced entrance through the rear door of the structure and advanced a hose lead into the interior where they were able to cut off the fire's spread and extinguish it very quickly. Other fire crews assisted in ventilating the toxic smoke products from the building while still other crews cut holes into and removed siding from the exterior walls to insure the fire had not spread. There were no reports of injuries to any of the firefighters at the scene. The damage was confined to a small area of the basement, the basement stairs, and some damage to the exterior walls and basement window. 23 firefighters responded to this fire call on 6 pieces of fire equipment and 2 Command vehicles. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation by Fire Dept. Officials. The quick response by an alert neighbor in calling 9-1-1 was a contributing factor in the Fire Dept.'s timely arrival and rapid knock down of this particular fire.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation.
DAMAGE EXTENT: A small area of the basement, the stairs leading down into the basement, and some of the exterior siding near a burned out basement window.
DOLLAR LOSS: 5,000.00
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given