Spokane, Washington – Two People Treated for Smoke Inhalation in Apartment Fire

Spokane, Washington (February 18, 2020) – Two people were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at the San Marco Apartments on Tuesday night. According to the article from KHQ, there were two patients. Update: According to the news release from the Spokane Fire Department,  one patient was taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported in the incident.

According to the article from The Spokesman-Review, the fire broke out around 9 p.m. at the apartment building on the 1229 block of West Riverside Avenue. A smoke alarm alerted residents, who were able to evacuate. The fire appears to be limited to one unit on the third-floor of the building. The fire was extinguished by 9:45 p.m., with residents allowed back in by 10:15 p.m. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

About Fire

The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration reported that 41 home fire fatalities were reported in 2018 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. 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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