Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire, jderuyter@spokanecity.org
Monday, August 25, 2025 at 1:48 p.m.
At 10:39 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to 804 South Sherman Street for a report of flames coming from the front of the home. While responding to the fire, dispatchers updated firefighters that there was a high probability of an adult male resident being trapped inside the two-story duplex. Engine 1 from the Riverside Neighborhood arrived four minutes later and confirmed fire from the first floor extending into the second story and attic.
Firefighters quickly began a search of the structure while simultaneously attacking the flames and found an unconscious adult male on the first floor. Firefighters quickly cut the sill from a window on the first floor, removed the fire victim less than four minutes after arrival, and upgraded the incident to a second alarm. The victim was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in critical condition.
Firefighters had the fire under control in 20 minutes. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Damages to the structure were extensive, leaving the occupancy uninhabitable. No additional injuries were reported. Firefighters will be at the scene for the next few hours to ensure hotspots are fully extinguished.
