Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire PIO, jderuyter@spokanecity.org
Monday, April 15, 2024 at 4:02 p.m.
At 11:51 a.m. the Spokane Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire in the 400 block of East August Avenue. Dispatch informed firefighters that everyone had evacuated, and smoke was observed coming from a bathroom on the second floor. Engine 1 arrived at 11:56 a.m. and confirmed smoke on the second floor of the two-story home. Ladders 1 and 4 also arrived, with Ladder 1 verifying that the house was empty while Ladder 4 went to the roof to create ventilation holes.
Additional firefighters arrived and connected to a nearby fire hydrant while others set up more hose lines to combat the fire. Inside, firefighters encountered moderate smoke on the second floor, with the primary fire concentrated in concealed spaces within the walls and attic and light smoke present elsewhere in the house. Firefighters on the roof cut ventilation holes to release heat and smoke from the attic.
The firefighters controlled the fire within an hour, containing most of the damage to the home's second floor. Although the six occupants will need alternative housing temporarily, they are safe with friends, and no injuries have been reported among the residents or firefighters.
An investigation determined that an accidental electrical failure caused the fire. The estimated damages are $125,000, but firefighters saved $407,000 of property loss.
