Tour Commander, 509.625.7100
Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 11:18 a.m.
On Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 2:30 AM, the Spokane Fire Department (SFD) was dispatched to the 1300 Block of West Grace Avenue to a report of a house on fire. Despite two active fire incidents co-occurring in the City (Residential First Alarm 6900 North Douglass Street 2:00 AM, and Commercial Second Alarm at 6900 North Division Street 01:54 AM), the first company arrived within three minutes of dispatch.
Firefighters discovered heavy fire consuming the front of the structure that was endangering nearby neighboring homes and property. Firefighters entered the single-family residence using handlines and mounted a bold assault on the fire. Simultaneously, companies employed a Vent-Enter-Search (VES) technique that allowed firefighters to operate above the fire and search the second-floor bedrooms for victims. Subsequent arriving companies were needed to provide vertical (rooftop) ventilation of heat and smoke and assist with searching for reported persons missing within the confines of the wood-frame home.
During initial fireground operations, additional Fire and EMS resources were ordered and the alarm was upgraded to a working fire bringing supplementary resources to assist in the search and management of the incident. Firefighters searching the residence discovered the remains of an adult near an exit. The victim was declared deceased at the scene.
The swift-moving flames, which spread throughout most of the residence's areas, were ultimately confined to the structure of origin and completely extinguished in just 40 minutes.
The cause of this early morning incident remains under active investigation by the Spokane Fire Department's Special Investigation Unit. The presence of smoke alarms and possible functional status and warning role has not yet been determined.
