Civilian Rescues in a North Battalion Residence Fire
Incident #: 2011047330 Date of Incident: 11/20/2011 Issuing Officer: AC Schaeffer
Narrative:
On Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 9:27AM, 6 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 1 Senior Ladder, 4 Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Fielder and Brown, responded to a Structure Fire at 1300 East Carlisle Avenue. While enroute to the incident, companies from Station 2 reported heavy smoke showing as they departed the Station and upgraded the incident to a working fire. Spokane Firefighters arrived within 5-minutes to find a two-story, wood frame residence with heavy smoke and fire showing from both the first and second floors of the house. The first due Engine and Ladder went to work immediately after arriving and secured water supply and stretched hose leads in attempt to contain the fire's progress and protect living areas in the house. Other companies were directed by the Battalion Chief to attend to multiple injured civilians (four in total) suffering from a range of injuries from the fire. Simultaneously the Ladder Company searched under heavy smoke/fire conditions for any other savable civilians and ventilated the fire from the roof. The fire was extinguished within 30-minutes and companies are still on-scene at the time of this release. Traffic in the neighborhood is expected to be impacted through the afternoon as companies overhaul
Cause:
The cause is under investigation by the Fire Department's SIU.
Damage:
In the early stages of the fire, prior to the Fire Department's arrival, a 25 year old mother and 1 year old child were trapped on the second floor and had self-rescued through a window on the address side of the house. Due to the heavy fire conditions advancing to the second floor, the mother was forced to drop her child from the window to awaiting neighbor in the front yard. After successfully catching the child, the mother also jumped from the second floor and was assisted by neighbors. The third occupant, a grandmother, was trapped on the first floor unable to escape due to the violent atmosphere inside the house. A neighbor successfully broke a first-floor window and pulled out the grandmother as the Fire Department arrived. Damage was limited primarily the interior of the first and second floors; however the overall structural integrity appears to be compromised and will need to be evaluated. The displaced family is receiving assistance from the Inland NW Chapter of the American Red Cross.
# Firefighters Responding: 24
Dollar Loss: $75000
End Of Release For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002
Multi- family Residence damaged by fire.
Incident #: 2011047242#
Date of Incident: 11/19/2011
Issuing Officer: Battalion Chief Donahoe
Narrative:
At 16:25 on Saturday November 18th the Spokane Fire Department dispatched four engines, one pumper ladder, one senior ladder and one heavy rescue under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Green and Donahoe to a reported structure fire at 2013 West College. The first arriving engine company reported flames and heavy black smoke showing from windows on the first floor. Companies were assigned to search the two story structure for victims and to locate and extinguish the fire. It was determined the house was divided into separate living areas on each level for a total of six units. All the occupants were confirmed to have either exited the structure or to have not been present at the time of the fire. Unfortunately two cats succumbed to smoke inhalation. The fire was located in the bathroom area of an apartment on the first floor toward the rear of the structure. The fire was knocked down quickly but not before the apartment involved sustained heavy fire and smoke damage. The other units of the structure sustained light smoke damage. The power to the six apartment units was disconnected until a licensed electrician could repair the fire damaged wiring. Eleven adults and six children were displaced from the house and are staying in housing provided by the Red Cross. There were no injuries reported to occupants or firefighters.
Cause:
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane Fire Department.
Damage:
There was fire and heavy smoke damage to the rear first floor apartment along with smoke damage to the rest of the structure. There also was damage to some of the apartment doors as crews forced their way in to locate potential victims.
# Firefighters Responding: 23
Dollar Loss: $50,000.00
End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002
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