Tour Commander, 509.625.7100
Friday, January 8, 2021 at 12:03 p.m.
With a heavy heart Spokane Fire Department Chief Schaeffer is saddened to announce the passing of 4-year-old Michael LeRoy Kane II, the community's first fire fatality of 2021. The Spokane Fire Department is grieving with Michael's family and their many friends in the Spokane community.
On the morning of Sunday, January 3, 2021, Spokane Fire Department was dispatched to the 1200 block of East Illinois for an occupied house reportedly on fire. The first company arrived within four-minutes and found heavy fire showing from the first floor extending to the second. Of the six occupants, one child remained unaccounted for as firefighters were arriving. Although family members believed him to be on the second floor, Michael was found by firefighters during the search in a first-floor bathroom bathtub. He was unconscious, not breathing, and quickly removed by firefighters to awaiting SFD and AMR Paramedics.
Despite the heroic resuscitative measures on the scene and a successful return of circulation, Michael's brain was without oxygen too long due to the oxygen reducing products of the fire. The subsequent neurological damage was permanent and irreversible. Last night at 5 PM, Michael received a walk of heroes at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Despite their sorrow, his family made the tough decision to allow Michael to be an organ donor. The world's horrible loss resulted in the gift of life for many.
"Our hearts break for the family and our community. A loss like this is felt throughout the SFD at all levels, and we take it extremely personally," stated Spokane Fire Department Chief Brian Schaeffer. "As they so often do, the Spokane community is coming together to wrap around this family and support them in their time of need," Schaeffer continued.
The family had smoke alarms in their home that activated appropriately, notifying household members of the presence of smoke the morning of the fire.
A loss like this is hard to process and will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on our community. May the memory serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of having both working smoke alarms and a
