Afternoon GU District Fire

Tour Commander, 509.625.7100

Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 12:43 p.m.

At approximately 2:55 pm this afternoon the Spokane Fire Department responded to the 300 Block of East Ermina Avenue on a report of a possible residential structure fire. Initial reports stated a pot of oil on the stove had ignited and spread to the cabinets. Fire units arrived just minutes after dispatch and reported heavy smoke and fire from 3 sides of a 2 ½ story house that had been divided into several apartments.  The incident was upgraded to a working structure fire to ensure there would be adequate resources to mitigate the incident. 

The first arriving fire companies rapidly conducted a search of all three floors of the home to ensure no occupants were inside and began fire attack in an attempt to keep the fire from spreading to the floors above.  Additional units were assigned to place egress ladders as well as to ventilate the structure. The fire was confined to the first floor and the exterior stairs on the back side.  

Eight fire apparatus with 25 firefighters responded to fight the fire. The fire was contained and extinguished within 15 minutes of units arriving on scene. The structure suffered major fire damage to the entire first floor as well as the exterior stairwell in the rear. Significant smoke damage occurred throughout the home as well as moderate damage to the roof from ventilation holes established as part of fire suppression work.

Due to the efforts of firefighters, the estimated dollar loss was held to $125,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department Special Investigations Unit. No injuries to occurred to firefighters or civilians.