Spokane, Washington – Family of Four Displaced After House Fire

Spokane, Washington (May 19, 2019) – A family of four was displaced a fire burned their house on the 6203 block of North Alberta Street on Sunday evening. The family was able to exit the house and were uninjured. There were also no injuries reported from the fire crews that responded.

The response arrived on the scene around 8:30 p.m., and found flames shooting from the first floor of the house. Before the fire was extinguished, it also spread to and blew up a propane tank behind the home. Some power lines were also burned leaving downed lines in the area. The entire first floor of the house was burned, except for a bedroom which had its door closed. The American Red Cross is providing temporary housing assistance to the displaced family. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

About Fire

The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated. The US Fire Administration has recorded 15 home fire fatalities this year within Washington.  Statistics from the NFPA have recorded that cooking equipment were the leading cause of home structure fires, home fire injuries, as well as being the second leading case of home fire deaths. Additionally, smoking materials are the leading case of home fire deaths, though it isn’t always the case every year. Always handle fire with wariness and see to it that fires are always extinguished after use. Remember also to assess the area where fire is going to be used and see to it that complete fire safety is practiced at all times.

Aside from cooking equipment and smoking materials, electrical causes remain to be one of the top causes for home fires according to the NFPA. Their Electrical Fire Reports to the U.S Fire Department since 2000 estimates around 45,000 to 55,000 cases of home fires being caused by electrical malfunction every year. Annual losses due to electrical fire result in 455 civilian deaths, 1, 500 civilian injuries and 1.5 billion of dollars in direct property damage. From these statistics, the risk from electrical fire is very real and should not be underestimated. As for the accidents themselves, the NFPA lists 63 percent involved wiring and related equipment, 74 percent cited some sort of electrical failure or malfunction, and wire or cable insulation was the first item ignited in 32 percent of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires. In light of this case, firefighters are stressing the importance of closed doors, which can help prevent the spread of fire. From these cases, one must always review and identify potential fire hazards and fix them to avoid damages, injuries or deaths.

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