Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Bob Green
DATE OF INCIDENT: 12/24/2007
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2022 N Dakota
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. responded fire fighting apparatus and crews to 2022 N Dakota at 0016 hrs. on the 24th of December for a reported structure fire. Initial reports from the first arriving crew indicated heavy smoke issuing from the front door and eaves of a 1.5 story wood/frame residence. Next arriving crews, arriving from different directions, reported fire blowing out the rear of the building from a small "dormer" window located at the attic level. Quick and aggressive actions by the crews at the scene resulted in a fairly quick knock down of the fire as they forced entry through the front door, extinguished the main body of fire burning on the first floor, and pushed the fire burning in the stairway leading to the attic out the "dormer" window. While specific fire crews were attacking and extinguishing the fire inside, other crews were doing a primary and a secondary search of the interior of the residence to insure that none of the tenants were trapped inside, and still other fire crews were assigned to be in position on the roof should conditions warrant cutting ventilation holes in the roof to release pent up smoke and gases. The searches that were conducted revealed that no one was at home at the time of the fire, their actual location is still not known but during the Holiday Season many folks travel to be with family and friends outside of the Spokane area. The damage caused by this early morning fire was extensive, nearly every room on the main floor sustained fire damage and the stairway and the attic were also heavily damaged. There were no reports of any injuries to the firefighters at the scene. Fire crews remained at the scene assisting the Fire Investigator as he worked to determine the cause of the fire until 0330 hrs. Six pieces of fire apparatus and their crews were dispatched to this fire along with two Battalion Chiefs in their Command vehicles and the on-duty Fire Investigator from the Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit. At the time of this media release the cause of the fire has not been determined.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Unknown at this time, still being investigated.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Heavy fire damage to all rooms and their contents on the first floor. The attic space and the stairway leading up to the attic were also seriously damaged. The main structural members of the house received minimal damage.
DOLLAR LOSS: 50,000.00
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given