A Spokane woman will receive up to $180,000 to settle a claim for damages three months after a city fire truck slid down an icy hill and struck her home.
On Feb. 6, a Spokane Fire truck was responding to a fire alarm when it slid down an icy hill on West Fleming Place into a home on North Greenwood Boulevard near Browne Elementary. A separate fire engine responding to the same call also lost traction on the hill not long after, sliding into two unoccupied cars and causing moderate damage, according to a news release at the time. No one was injured.
At the time, the house was deemed stable enough to live in by a city engineer; however, City Financial Officer Matt Boston on Monday said there were concerns that the homeowner, Lynda Congrove, did not have the funds to promptly fix the damage. That could have forced her out of her home, prompting a faster settlement.
The settlement approved Monday by the Spokane City Council immediately authorizes a $90,000 payment to the homeowner's daughter, Kelli True, though the settlement covers up to double that amount, depending on final costs for repairs.