Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire PIO, jderuyter@spokanecity.org
Monday, August 21, 2023 at 4:47 p.m.
At 1:44 p.m. this afternoon, Spokane Fire responded to a report of a house on fire at 1317 East 13th Ave. During the response, dispatchers were able to update firefighters that everyone and all pets had safely evacuated and were waiting outside. Spokane Engine 7 arrived first at a 1-1/2 story with a basement, single-family residential home with moderate smoke showing from the backside corner of the structure.
After quickly confirming that all occupants were indeed accounted for, firefighters forced open the front door and deployed a fire attack hose line to the seat of the fire, discovered to be originating from the kitchen. The bulk of the fire was quickly extinguished, but firefighters found that fire had penetrated void spaces above the kitchen in the attic, so the responding ladder truck companies cut ventilation holes in the roof above that space so that interior firefighters could safely open up those spaces and extinguish any remaining fire.
Spokane Fire would like to credit the resident for doing everything right in this dangerous emergency. She had smoke alarms that functioned appropriately and immediately responded when they alerted. She stated that she realized the smoke was coming from the kitchen, so she grabbed her fire extinguisher and attempted to extinguish what was still a small fire contained to an air fryer pot. When extinguishment was unsuccessful, she immediately gathered her child, dog, and cell phone, exited outside to a safe location, and called 9-1-1. She was also surprised at how fast the smoke and fire developed and relieved that she took the appropriate steps in the correct order, which was vital to her and her family remaining uninjured in this fire.
The family of the home will be displaced indefinitely and were arranging to stay with friends. Fire and loss damage is estimated to be $150,000, with a value saved of $155,000. Fire investigators ruled the cause to be accidental/cooking in nature.
Spokane Fire would like to remind residents of the City of Spokane they may receive free smoke alarms by emailing: sfdsmokealarms@spokanefire.org
