Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 1/29/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 1107 W. Carlisle
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. Dispatch Center received a call at 10:34 in the morning on Thursday, Jan. 29th, reporting that there was smoke coming from a house located at 1107 W. Carlisle. After gathering all pertinent information from the caller, the Dispatcher sent fire fighting crews and their apparatus responding to this address for a possible house fire. The first fire crew to arrive on scene reported heavy smoke issuing from under the eaves and coming out of the roof. That first arriving Officer made assignments to the other incoming crews by radio and then proceeded to make entry into the building in an effort to determine not only the cause of the smoke but also to determine where it was coming from. As the other responding crews arrived on scene they began to go about completing their pre-assigned tasks of search and rescue, fire attack, ventilation (both vertical and horizontal), and laddering the building. The fire posed some initial problems to the fire crews in that it was burning in the confined spaces of the building and spreading into the attic and the under-side of the roof assembly. In order to find the fire, firefighters used power saws, pike poles, axes, and other hand tools to dig this stubborn fire out from the walls and ceilings. As this "opening-up" proceeded, crews were finally able to get water on the fire and get a pretty good knock down on it. There were two adults in the home at the time of the fire that were able to escape with a pet dog, the family cat was not located but it is hoped that he used one of his nine lives and escaped successfully. The two children who live at the home were at school. There were no reports of any injuries to the tenants or to the fire fighters at the incident. Red Cross was requested to the scene to assist the family since damage to the interior of the house and to the structural members of the roof was considerable and extensive repairs will need to be completed before anyone will be allowed to live in the structure. Avista was notified and responded to pull the electrical supply to the house because many of the electrical circuits were severely damaged. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by members of the Spokane City Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit. Preliminary indications point to the fireplace and the structural support members of the building that were in direct contact with the brick and mortar of that fireplace, a fairly common construction practice in older homes of this area. Seven pieces of fire apparatus and two Command Vehicles delivered 25 fire fighters to this morning fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Old, dry, wooden structrural components being in direct contact with the brick and mortar of an older masonary fireplace which has been used to augment the other heating systems of the building.
DAMAGE EXTENT: The walls, ceilings, floors, and a closet that were near the chimney, which was centrally located in the house, received heavy damage. The attic and especially the under-side of the roof system sustained severe damage. Smoke damage to the contents was kept to a minimum since most of the smoke traveled upward through the attic and out the roof.
DOLLAR LOSS: 30000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 25
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