Browne's Addition Fire
Incident #: 2012045464
Date of Incident: 10/18/2012
Issuing Officer: Battalion Chief Steve Sabo
Date of Incident: 10/18/2012
Issuing Officer: Battalion Chief Steve Sabo
Narrative:
At 7:45 this morning, October 18th, the Spokane Fire Department responded to multiple calls reporting a fire at the Casa Granada Apartments at 1712 W. 2nd Avenue. At least one call also reported there may be occupants trapped by the fire. Engine and Ladder 4 arrived within four minutes, from their Browne’s Addition fire station, and reported heavy smoke from a third floor apartment on the back side of the complex. The incident was upgraded to a “working fire”, adding a ladder company and an AMR ambulance. While Ladder 4’s crew began a search of the apartment for any victims, the engine crew stretched an attack hose and began to knock down the fire. As other crews arrived on scene, they were assigned to search and evacuate the adjoining apartments, ladder the roof and check for fire extension into the attic, and to stretch a second attack hose to the fire apartment. As the fire was knocked down, Ladder 4 reported there were no victims found in the fire apartment, and the fire was contained to the apartment of origin. One civilian was treated at the scene by fire department paramedics for smoke inhalation, after attempting to access the apartment prior to the fire department’s arrival. She did not require any further medical treatment. Due to the garden apartment design of the complex, smoke and heat evacuation to the outside was quickly accomplished, minimizing damage to the structure. The occupant of the fire apartment returned home during the incident. He told fire department investigators he left his apartment approximately 45 minutes prior to discovery of the fire. The fire apartment will be uninhabitable until repairs are made. The occupant is being relocated to another apartment in the complex during the interim.
At 7:45 this morning, October 18th, the Spokane Fire Department responded to multiple calls reporting a fire at the Casa Granada Apartments at 1712 W. 2nd Avenue. At least one call also reported there may be occupants trapped by the fire. Engine and Ladder 4 arrived within four minutes, from their Browne’s Addition fire station, and reported heavy smoke from a third floor apartment on the back side of the complex. The incident was upgraded to a “working fire”, adding a ladder company and an AMR ambulance. While Ladder 4’s crew began a search of the apartment for any victims, the engine crew stretched an attack hose and began to knock down the fire. As other crews arrived on scene, they were assigned to search and evacuate the adjoining apartments, ladder the roof and check for fire extension into the attic, and to stretch a second attack hose to the fire apartment. As the fire was knocked down, Ladder 4 reported there were no victims found in the fire apartment, and the fire was contained to the apartment of origin. One civilian was treated at the scene by fire department paramedics for smoke inhalation, after attempting to access the apartment prior to the fire department’s arrival. She did not require any further medical treatment. Due to the garden apartment design of the complex, smoke and heat evacuation to the outside was quickly accomplished, minimizing damage to the structure. The occupant of the fire apartment returned home during the incident. He told fire department investigators he left his apartment approximately 45 minutes prior to discovery of the fire. The fire apartment will be uninhabitable until repairs are made. The occupant is being relocated to another apartment in the complex during the interim.
Cause:
Members of the Spokane Fire Department’s Special Investigation Unit investigated the incident and determined the cause of the fire to be accidental in nature. Combustibles had been placed against a baseboard heating unit, which had been left on.
Members of the Spokane Fire Department’s Special Investigation Unit investigated the incident and determined the cause of the fire to be accidental in nature. Combustibles had been placed against a baseboard heating unit, which had been left on.
Damage:
Damage was confined to the apartment of origin; which included burned kitchen cabinets, with heat and smoke damage throughout the fire apartment.
Damage was confined to the apartment of origin; which included burned kitchen cabinets, with heat and smoke damage throughout the fire apartment.
# Firefighters Responding: 28
Dollar Loss: $ 10,000
End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002
