City of Spokane, WA
City of Spokane, WA
07/22/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/22/2024 16:00
Spokane Firefighters Battle a String of Fires During Extreme Heat
Spokane Firefighters Battle a String of Fires During Extreme Heat
Justin de Ruyter, PIO
Monday, July 22, 2024 at 3:52 p.m.
At 5:23 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2024, the Spokane Fire Department, with assistance from Spokane County Fire District 9, was dispatched to multiple calls reporting a house fire in the 8200 block of North Marjorie Street in the Pacific Park neighborhood. Responding firefighters observed a large column of smoke from a distance and upgraded the response to a working fire. Engine 17 arrived four minutes later and found a three-story single-family home with heavy fire from the attached garage, which had spread to a vehicle parked in the driveway.
While some firefighters protected exposed buildings from the exterior, an aggressive interior fire attack by Engines 16 and 17 and Truck 13 prevented the fire from extending into the home. Firefighters were notified that the family dog was still inside the home and, fortunately, were able to retrieve it uninjured and take it to a neighbor's house for safekeeping. The blaze was controlled within ten minutes of arrival. The garage and its contents were lost, and there was smoke damage inside the home. Damage estimates are $150,000, with firefighters saving a property value of over $350,000. The fire is under investigation, and no injuries were reported to civilians or firefighters.
On Sunday, July 22, 2024, at 5:02 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the 2000 block of East Desmet Avenue for a report of smoke visible from the back of a home. Engine 7 arrived four minutes later and confirmed a fire at the rear of the house. Firefighters found the fire in the walls and ceilings of an addition to the home and were able to control it within 15 minutes. No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The fire is under investigation, with damage estimates at $50,000. Firefighters saved property worth over $220,000, and the American Red Cross was called to assist with housing for four adults and one child.
Firefighters also responded to numerous illegal burns, including a brush fire near South Southeast Boulevard and East 31st Avenue and another near South Ivory Street and East Pacific Avenue. Investigators are still investigating the details of these fires, but both are considered suspicious. Firefighters responded to an additional brush fire this morning near Ferraro's Restaurant in the 3000 block of North Division that is also being investigated as a suspicious fire.
As a reminder, outdoor burning within Spokane City Limits is prohibited, except for backyard recreational burning, which must be contained in approved outdoor burning devices with spark arresters. These fires must always be attended by an adult, located at least 15 feet away from any structures, and a means to quickly extinguish them must be provided. Any fires outside these conditions should be reported to firefighters by calling 9-1-1. With the extended hot and dry weather conditions, any uncontained fires are considered highly dangerous, with a high probability of quickly spreading in size and complexity.