Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Mike Inman / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/21/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 1221 N. Monroe
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: At 1143 pm February 21, 2009 the Spokane Fire Department was dispatched on a report of smoke coming from the roof of a building. The first fire crews on scene were Engine 3 and the North side Battalion Chief who saw a significant amount of smoke coming from what appeared to be the roof of a 3 story apartment building. As other fire crews arrived they went to the opposite side of the building and reported seeing fire in one room on the 3rd floor. At about the same time Engine 3 made entry to the 3rd floor from the inside and reported heavy smoke and heat conditions. The North side Battalion Chief requested the incident be upgraded to a working fire. When a second Battalion Chief arrived on scene and went to the back of the building it was decided to upgrade the fire to a 2nd alarm due to the fire on the 3rd floor and the potential number of people in the building. Crews were immediately assigned to search the building for occupants, attack the fire, ventilate the smoke and heat and set up a rapid intervention team in case anyone was to get trapped inside. Engine 3 was the first fire crew into the room on fire and did an aggressive attack with a 1 ¾" attack line. This knocked the main body of the fire down then the efforts of the Firefighters were directed to making sure the fire did not extend beyond the room of origin. Red Cross was called to assist approximately 20 displaced residents because the gas was shut off to the building for safety purposes while the fire was being extinguished so there was no heat in the building. In all 42 Firefighters were called to the scene with over half of the available fire crews in the city dedicated to the fire. AMR, American Medical Response ambulance company is based across the street from the apartment building and AMR opened up there building to shelter the displaced residents and give Red Cross a place to meet with the residents. The fire is under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation
DAMAGE EXTENT: Confined to one apartment on the 3rd floor with smoke throughout the 3rd floor.
DOLLAR LOSS: 5000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 42
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