Fire at downtown apartment under investigation

One treated for smoke inhalation

Michele Anderson, Public Safety Communications Manager

Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 3:43 p.m.

Fire investigators with the Spokane Fire Department's Special Investigation Unit are working to determine the cause of a fire that damaged a downtown apartment building early Saturday morning.

Just after 1:00 a.m., fire crews from the Spokane Fire Department responded to the 300 block of W. 2nd Ave. on a reported commercial building fire.

Upon arrival, crews advised they had a reported fire inside a second floor apartment and smoke spreading throughout the upper floors of the four-story apartment building. The sprinkler system had activated and the fire was located and extinguished inside the apartment. Crews immediately began evacuating residents and found that the majority of the residents had failed to leave the building when the alarm sounded.

The fire was confined to the interior of original apartment. Crews worked to quickly to extinguish the fire, search the structure, and perform salvage and overhaul operations. Several apartments on the first floor received minor water damage from the fire sprinkler activation.

The American Red Cross responded to assist displaced occupants.

One occupant was treated at the scene for slight smoke inhalation. There were no reported injuries to firefighters.

The Spokane Fire Department would like to remind the public that alarm systems exist to warn occupants of impending danger. Please do the appropriate thing when a fire alarm sounds and evacuate to a safe location outside the building.

Fire Department Investigators and Spokane Police have questioned a person of interest. Anyone with information about the fire can call 509-625-7000 so the information can be forwarded to investigators.