Wife Of Spokane County Firefighter Saves Children During Fire Posted: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:05 PM EST Updated: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:05 PM EST Posted:Updated: 
 
 Rachelle Flatt and her husband stand in their home that was destroyed by a fire on Tuesday night 
 
 A fire broke out at the home of a Spokane County firefighter on Tuesday night, and it was the firefighter's wife's heroic actions that saved lives. 
 
 
 
 Spokane Valley Fire Department Assistant Chief Greg Godfrey said in a press release on Wednesday that two companies from the Spokane Valley Fire Department, and three companies from Spokane County Fire District #8 responded to the house just after 9:30pm and found heavy fire and smoke coming from the backside of the home. They also recognized the house and family as that of Fire District #8 Firefighter Pete Flatt. Flatt was working at Fire Station 81 on the south hill at the time of call, but his wife and three children were home at the time of the fire. 
 
 
 
 Firefighters attacked the flames and confined them to the first floor of the home before extinguishing them. 
 
 
 
 Firefighter Flatt's wife, Rachelle, told investigators that she had just put the children to bed when she noticed flames on the back patio. She called 911 and as she turned to go get her kids, she heard a loud noise. Firefighters say this was the relief valve on the BBQ propane tank releasing and shattered the patio doors. This allowed for the flames to coming straight into the house. 
 
 
 
 Rachelle had already gotten the oldest child out of the house, and then went back in to rescue her other child and baby. Firefighters say as she left the home with the baby, the heat and smoke were extremely intense, and Rachelle received minor burns to her ears, singed hair and severe smoke inhalation. 
 
 
 
 The family dog did not survive, but Assistant Chief Greg Godfrey said that without the heroic efforts of Rachelle, the fire could have been much more tragic. Rachelle was taken to the hospital for treatment. Thanks to Rachelle, the kids are all ok. 
 
 
 
 KHQ Local News Reporter Patrick Erickson is interviewing Rachelle, and you can hear more from her courageous story tonight on KHQ Local News 11@11. 

 Rachelle Flatt noticed flames on the back patio and called 911 just after 9:30 p.m. Flames reached a propane tank attached to the … 
 
 The wife of a firefighter rescued their three sleeping children Tuesday night from the couple’s burning home in the Ponderosa neighborhood of Spokane Valley. 
 
 The wife of a firefighter rescued their three sleeping children Tuesday night from the couple’s burning home in the Ponderosa neighborhood of Spokane Valley. 
 
 Rachelle Flatt noticed flames on the back patio and called 911 just after 9:30 p.m. Flames reached a propane tank attached to the outside grill before she could get her children out of the house. 
 
 “I was almost to the (front) door when the slider door exploded,” she said. 
 
 The tank’s valve blew open and shattered a set of patio doors and pushed flames into the house, said Fire District 8 Assistant Chief Greg Godfrey. 
 
 When Flatt reached the front door with her 3-year-old daughter, she found neighbors there to hand her to. Flatt went back inside for her 15-month-old daughter, then back again for her 6-year-old son. By that time the smoke was so thick the house was pitch black. Carrying her son, Flatt groped her way down the hallway, then fumbled with the front door that had shut behind her when she re-entered the house. 
 
 “That’s when I really started to panic,” she said. “I was running out of air.” 
 
 Her neighbors opened the door to let them out. 
 
 Her husband, Pete Flatt, was on duty miles away at District 8’s South Hill station when the address came up on his pager. “It took me a second to realize it was my address,” he said Wednesday. “My heart just dropped.” 
 
 Flatt was able to reach his wife on the phone before he arrived at his burning house. 
 
 Until last week he had worked at the District 8 station only a few blocks away. “I knew they were in good hands,” he said. “I train and work with these guys all the time.” 
 
 Rachelle Flatt suffered minor burns, but the children were uninjured. 
 
 Flatt is glad his wife responded so quickly in a tough situation. “She’s a hero,” he said. “She saved our three kids.” 
 
 The family cat and one dog survived the fire. But one of their dogs, an 80-pound mixed breed known affectionately as Hank the Tank, was faithful to the end. “He followed me back to my son’s room and didn’t make it out,” said Rachelle Flatt, choking back tears. “He was the most patient with our kids. He was a good boy.” 
 
 The house sustained an estimated $100,000 in damage, but it was insured. In the meantime, they’re being helped by family and friends, Pete Flatt said. 
 
 “We’ve got tons of support. It’s overwhelming,” he said. 
 
 After a day of combing through their ruined house, the couple stood on the front porch late Wednesday. Pete Flatt wrapped an arm around his wife and looked down at her with pride. “Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “I just did what I had to do.”
– A mother in Washington state rescued her three young children from a house fire before firefighters arrived at the scene, reports KREM. It's all the more remarkable because her husband was one of those firefighters rushing to get there. The drama began Tuesday night when Rachelle Flatt of Spokane Valley put her three kids to bed about 9:30, noticed flames on the patio, and called 911, reports KHQ. Then came the explosion—flames ignited a propane tank, and the blast sent smoke and flames into the home. Flatt first got her 3-year-old girl out the front door and into the hands of neighbors, reports the Spokesman-Review. Then she went back and got her 15-month-old girl, and back a third time though the thick smoke to get her 6-year-old boy. “That’s when I really started to panic,” she says. "I was running out of air." She made it, though, with husband Pete on the way with his fellow firefighters. "My heart just dropped," he recalls, upon hearing the address. The house suffered heavy damage, but it was insured. The one sad note was the death of faithful Hank the Tank, one of the family's dogs. "He followed me back to my son’s room and didn’t make it out,” says Rachelle.