Fire Press Release

North Side Bedroom Fire

Incident #: 2011050341
Date of Incident: 12/13/2011
Issuing Officer: Bob Green/Battalion Chief

Narrative:
The Spokane City Fire Dept. dispatched fire fighting crews and their apparatus on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 13th, to 729 E. Broad at 17:15 hrs. for a reported structure fire. The first arriving fire company, from Sta. #15 located in the Hillyard neighborhood, reported smoke and fire issuing from two front-facing windows on the second floor of a 2 story wood/frame dwelling. As other fire apparatus began arriving on scene, assignments were being made by the initial Incident Commander, Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer who had arrived on the scene shortly after Engine 15, those assignments would include advancing a charged hose line into the structure, horizontal ventilation of the building, searching for any victims on all the floors, securing a water supply, a back-up hose line to protect the firefighters who would be making initial entry into the building, and the formation of a Rapid Intervention Team who would be standing by to rescue any firefighter who might become injured, lost, or trapped inside the building. The combined efforts of the fire fighting crews at this fire kept the flames confined to the 2nd floor bedrooms. Four Engines, two Ladder Trucks, one Heavy Rescue Rig, and three Command Vehicles delivered 25 firefighters to the scene of this blaze. The fire damage was limited to the 2nd floor, although there was smoke damage to areas of the first floor. The occupants of the home were able to safely exit their home at the time of the fire. The family had multiple pets in the structure and some of them were accounted for but some had not been located by the time firefighters left the scene. There were no reports of any injuries to firefighters at the scene or to the residents of the building. A member of the Spokane City Fire Dept's Special Investigation Unit was at the fire and he began his investigation as soon as conditions inside the structure allowed him to safely enter. His investigation will continue tomorrow during the day-light hours.

Cause:
Currently under investigation by the Special Investigation Unit of the Spokane City Fire Dept.

Damage:
Fire damage to the front bedrooms located on the second floor, heavy smoke damage to other areas of the second floor and some additional smoke damage to the first floor.

# Firefighters Responding: 25

Dollar Loss: $20,000

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002