Thursday, June 10, 2010

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Bruce Moline
DATE OF INCIDENT: 6/9/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 428 E. Indiana
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99207

NARRATIVE: Late Wednesday evening on June 9th, 2010 at 11:34 P.M., the Spokane Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in an apartment house located at 428 E. Indiana. Engine 1 from their neighborhood fire station at Riverside and Browne was the first to arrive within minutes and found heavy smoke and fire enveloping the second floor of a one and a half story apartment house. An early call for an additional fire company was made given the large volume of fire and smoke coming from the structure. A rapid fire attack using Engine 7 and Engine 1 with hose lines, coupled with a rapid search for occupants using a Ladder and Pumper Ladder Company was coordinated on the second level of the building. At the same time, a ventilation team consisting of Ladder 1's crew was cutting open the roof overhead for the fire crews inside involved in the extinguishment and search efforts. Three adult occupants were found to be safe outside of the structure. A rapid knockdown of the flames was achieved after approximately 10 minutes. The fire was confined to the apartment unit on the second floor and portions of the roof. Fire crews were then busy with overhaul work which consists of searching out all areas within the building for hot spots. A top to bottom secondary search of the entire complex was also begun to confirm reports that all occupants were out of the building. The apartment unit and contents inside received a significant amount of fire and smoke damage.
The Red Cross was contacted to assist the occupants with shelter and belongings. There were two occupants displaced by the fire in the unit above and one occupant displaced in the unit below.
Three engine companies, two ladder companies, a pumper ladder company, a rescue unit and two battalion chiefs responded to this alarm. The Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane Fire Department remains on the scene and is currently working towards finding the cause of this fire. Due to the rapid advancement of hose lines and the vertical ventilation actions on the roof above, the fire was kept relatively small and the majority of the apartment house was saved. There was one injury to a civilian on this fire. He was one of the two occupants in the apartment unit on the upper floor and sustained a minor burn, some smoke inhalation and a laceration and was transported by AMR ambulance to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Fire crews remained on the scene throughout the rest of the night checking for hotspots and making sure the fire was extinguished. The Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane Fire Department is currently on the scene today and will be joined by various fire companies to complete the final overhaul of the premises. The cause of the fire remains to be undetermined at this time.


PROBABLE CAUSE: Undetermined at this time. Currently under investigation by the Spokane Fire Deparment Special Investigation Unit.
DAMAGE EXTENT: The second floor apartment unit received heavy fire and smoke damage.
DOLLAR LOSS: 40,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 22
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

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