Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire PIO, jderuyter@spokanecity.org
Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 4:06 p.m.
SPOKANE, WA, May 8, 2025 - At 2:45 a.m. this morning, Spokane firefighters, with assistance from Spokane County Fire District 8, responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a house fire in the 3900 block of South Havana Street. Dispatchers from Spokane Regional Emergency Communications informed crews en route that an adult male was believed to still be inside the home, though his exact location was unknown.
Truck 14 (from the Lincoln Heights neighborhood) and Engine 11 (from the Comstock neighborhood) arrived within five minutes and initiated a coordinated fire attack, with Engine 11 attacking the flames while Truck 14 searched inside.
Firefighters faced intense heat and thick black smoke throughout the home. They located an unconscious adult male in the front room and removed him through a window. He was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and transported in critical condition to Sacred Heart Medical Center. A dog was also found in the main living area. Despite firefighters’ efforts to revive it, the dog succumbed to smoke inhalation.
Crews controlled the fire within 20 minutes, but the home sustained extensive damage and is considered uninhabitable. Although the precise cause remains undetermined, investigators believe the fire began in a breezeway between the garage and the house, spreading quickly into the living areas and attic.
An adult female occupant, who had been sleeping in a basement bedroom, was able to escape through an egress window safely and was not injured.
Thanks to the fast, coordinated response, one life was saved under extremely dangerous conditions. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of practicing home fire escape plans, ensuring working smoke alarms on every level, and keeping egress windows accessible, especially in basement bedrooms.
