Building Fire and Civilian Rescue

Tour Commander, 509.625.7100

Monday, March 7, 2022 at 8:20 a.m.

Spokane, WA--At approximately 11:43 PM on Saturday, March 6, 2022, the Spokane Fire Department (SFD) responded to the area of 1700 East Queen Avenue for a report of a garage on fire. The first company arrived within 4-minutes and found heavy smoke and fire emerging from an oversized two-car detached garage. The structure was modified with an additional remodeled living space and presented complex tactical challenges for firefighters.

The initial incident commander quickly identified the need for additional resources to institute tactics that could aggressively search the building while the fire was located and controlled. As a result, the incident was upgraded to a working incident, and additional firefighters were requested to the scene.

During the initial phase of the incident, a female voice was heard yelling for help inside the structure. Firefighters forced open the door, entered the burning structure, and pulled the victim to safety. Simultaneously, other companies began a coordinated fire attack and searched the building to ensure no other occupants remained inside. In addition, ladder companies provided coordinated roof ventilation to assist with visibility and heat release for fire attack teams. The victim was located immediately with the initiation of a search, and the fire was confined within ten minutes of the SFD's arrival.

One female occupant was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. She has since been released at the time of this release. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the joint task force of SFD's Special Investigation Unit and the Spokane Police Department.