By Garrett Cabeza
The Spokesman-Review
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Freezing rain Saturday appeared to cause some crashes — one involving a fire truck — on major roadways in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
A Spokane Valley Fire Department ladder truck parked at the scene of an Interstate 90 crash was struck by a vehicle that lost control on the slick road Saturday afternoon.
An occupant in the vehicle that struck the fire truck was taken to a hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, Spokane Valley fire spokeswoman Julie Happy said.
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Spokane Valley Ladder 10 was responding to a call shortly after 2:30 p.m. when it stopped to check on a two-vehicle crash on eastbound I-90 near the Sullivan Road exit, according to the fire department’s Facebook page. Firefighters used the ladder truck, cones and flares to help protect firefighters and any potential patients.
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Shortly after, the rear of Ladder 10 was struck by a vehicle, and an extrication was required to get one of the people out, fire officials said.
Happy said no firefighters were injured, and no one was injured in the original two-vehicle crash to which the ladder truck responded.
“We would like to remind drivers to slow down and always move over to give all emergency vehicles extra room when responding to an incident,” the Facebook post stated.
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The crash blocked two of the three eastbound lanes, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The state department announced the lanes reopened at about 4:10 p.m.
The department also reported a Saturday afternoon crash blocking two westbound I-90 lanes near the Division Street on-ramp and another crash blocking an eastbound I-90 lane near the U.S. Highway 2 interchange in Spokane. Both crashes cleared by late afternoon.
Idaho State Police reported “extremely icy road conditions” Saturday in the Coeur d’Alene area, according to a news release from the agency.
It investigated multiple crashes north of Coeur d’Alene along U.S. Highway 95 near Garwood. Highway 95 was blocked northbound at 5 p.m. in Garwood.
The Washington Transportation Department and ISP asked drivers to slow down and use caution as freezing rain hit area roads and will continue to affect roads and walkways on Sunday.
The National Weather Service Spokane issued a freezing rain advisory that remains in effect until noon Sunday for North Idaho, central Washington and Eastern Washington.
Besides roads and bridges, sidewalks, driveways and stairs could also be slippery.
“Bare and cold surfaces will be slick with ice accumulations,” the weather service said.
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