Neighbor alerts family of house fire in Spokane | northwest

SPOKANE — A neighbor spotted a house fire near the corner of South Ray Street and East Hartson Avenue in Spokane’s East Central neighborhood Friday.

A small propane bottle located outside of the home is believed to have burned and started the fire. Around 10:30 am, a neighbor heard the explosion, called the fire department and banged on the home’s door to alert the family of the fire.

According to the Spokane Fire Department Battalion Chief James Schaffer, the fire did not spread to inside the home. However, smoke was reported on the first and second floors.

The neighbor and people in the home worked to contain the fire before firefighters arrived.

Eugene Hunt was inside the home when the fire started.

“I was sleeping, and someone was banging on the door that there was a fire, and we had to get out,” Hunt said. “We were splashing water on the front porch. Our fire extinguisher was out.”

Schaffer noted some homes are not well insulated, which can allow a fire to run up the siding and into the attic.

Though ambulances were called to the scene, eight people in the home escaped from the house with no injuries. Firefighters continued to work on the fire.

“An older house like this, it could’ve ended bad,” Schaffer said.