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Sophia Aldous
Officials urge homeowners to practice fire prevention safety
NEWPORT – There were two house fires in the span of four days last week, with a fire on 1st Street in Newport on Wednesday, March 5 followed by another on Rusho Lane Sunday, March 9.
No one was injured in either incident, according to South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue Chief Shane Stocking. The cause of both fires are still under investigation.
SPOFR responded to the fire on March 9, at approximately 7:30 a.m., alerted to a fully involved residential structure fire in the Southeastern portion of the county of Rusho Lane. SPOFR units, with mutual aid from Pend Oreille County, Bonner County and the Kalispel Tribe’s Fire Departmetn responded to find a fully involved single story home. Crews worked to contain the fire, complete a search of the basement and prevent additional spread or loss for several hours. The fire is reported to have started in the kitchen, according to Stocking.
The fire reported on March 5 is thought to have started in the home’s downstairs laundry area. SPOFR units were alerted to a structure fire in Newport at approximately 9:20 a.m. at a two-story residence, with separate living quarters on the second story. SPOFR units responded, with Chief Stocking and Engine 11, staffed with a career firefighter/paramedic and volunteer lieutenant/EMT arriving one minute following dispatch.
“The fire was well established and spreading rapidly upon arrival, threatening both the second story and exposure homes to the West and North,” SPOFR Public Information Officer Rick O’Brien wrote in a press release. “SPOFR initiated an aggressive interior attack and search and was able to contain the fire damage to the first floor and home of origin.”
No injuries were reported to firefighters or occupants. “Over 40 emergency personnel responded from across the region to what was a difficult, and intense fire,” O’Brien said. “It should be noted that without the quick response of full-time staffing from SPOFR station 11 in Newport, the situation could have been much more devastating.”
Fire personnel worked on finding hot spots and stopping hidden fire from spreading for over three hours. Partner agencies included Newport Police Department, Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office, Pend Oreille Fire Districts 2 and 4, Spokane County Fire No. 4, West Pend Oreille Fire and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians.
The house on 1st Street is insured by State Farm, but the houser on Rusho Lane has no homeowner’s insurance, according to Stocking.
“Both fires were devastating to the parties involved and SPOFR initiated a response from the Red Cross to assist with occupants’ well-being through the near future,” O’Brien said.
SPOFR was additionally able to provide immediate support with local restaurant gift cards through the South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue Auxiliary, a donation funded 501(c)(3) and gave technical assistance in setting up a Go Fund Me page but does not operate the page or collect money on fire victims’ behalf.
The Go Fund Me is organized by Jazmin Hester, granddaughter of Margaret Honaker, who lives in the house on 1st Street.
“…If you don’t know her, you definitely know or have seen her beautiful home that she has lived in for over 25 years,” Hester wrote on the fundraiser page. “Most people know it as the bright colorful home on 1st street with the beautiful yard full of flowers that she loves to take care of.”
Hester said that due to the severity of the fire and how fast it consumed the home, Honaker, 73, barely made it out with only her tank top and the pants she was wearing and no shoes.
“She is completely devastated and heartbroken,” Hester said, adding that Honaker is also fighting cancer and was scheduled to begin chemotherapy Friday, March 7.
“She is on full-time oxygen to help her breathe,” Hester said. “She is already going through so much. I hope this will help to ease some of the hardship and stress that she is now dealing with.”
To donate, go to www. gofundme.com and search “Newport Wa Home Fire, Help Needed.”
Sunday’s fire makes eight structure fires that SPOFR has responded to since the beginning of the year, Stocking said.
“We have gotten a higher-than-normal volume of calls for structure fires, but there’s been no evidence of arson,” Stocking said when asked. “There’s nothing suspicious and everything we’ve seen at every fire so far points back to a benign origin.”
Newport resident, James P. Morrison, 82, was found dead after a house fire on Jan. 6 off Highway 2. Firefighters attacked the fire and searched the home, finding Morrison’s body near where investigators believed the fire started. The Spokane County Medical Examiner ruled out foul play, citing smoke inhalation, thermal burning and coronary issues as cause of death. Stocking said that while he had his own theory as to how the fire started, the official cause has not been released.
Stocking stressed that residents should practice fire safety in their homes, from making sure smoke alarms work, to cleaning chimneys (if applicable), cleaning out dryer lint and making sure they are properly ventilated and not leaving portable heaters unattended and on overnight.
“I would just caution people to learn basic fire safety rules and practice them,” Stocking said. “If we can do anything to prevent getting these calls in the first place, we’re happy to help.”
To learn more about how to prevent and prepare for home fires, go to www.ready.gov/homefires.
SOPHIA MATTICE-ALDOUS IS A MURROW NEWS FELLOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEWSROOMS AT RANGE MEDIA AND THE NEWPORT MINER NEWSPAPERS THROUGH A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. HER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE FOR USE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS WITH CREDIT.
