Ritzville Fire responds to balcony blaze

Ritzville Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Banner presented to the Ritzville City Council on May 16 regarding a fire call on Sunday, May 14. He stated the department responded to two calls since the previous meeting.

On Saturday, May 13, the department responded to an alarm call at the Lind-Ritzville High School due to a power outage.

The department responded to a second call on May 14 around 9:30 p.m., for a balcony on fire in the alley between Main Avenue and the Ritzville Post Office.

Banner said an off-duty city police officer discovered the fire and contacted dispatch.

The department’s response was delayed due to a train, but an on-duty police officer evacuated the tenants prior to their arrival.

They responded with 12 firefighters with the ladder truck, city engine and county rescue truck, he explained. The crew quickly utilized a nearby hydrant and extinguished the blaze from the outside.

Banner said the building and affected apartment did not suffer any fire damage and there is some damage to the balcony.

He said they believe the cause of the fire to be from careless disposal of smoking materials.

The call took a total of two hours and no firefighter or civilian injuries were reported.

Describing the incident as a disaster averted, Banner stated the fire could have turned into a block fire had it been discovered any later.

Banner said the instability and conditions of the balcony are a safety hazard and he recommended it be inspected for public safety.

He will continue working with Mayor Gary Cook and Clerk-Treasurer Kris Robbins to improve the structure and prevent further incidents, he explained.

During the call, Banner said the crew had difficulty communicating due to the amount of noise and outdated headsets. The department is in need of upgrading to wireless headsets to avoid communication issues, he explained.

Banner said the headsets might qualify as an emergency response and removal purchase. He will continue researching the purchase and update the council on the costs of the equipment for the 2018 budget requests, he explained.