Spokane firefighters quickly put out fires at the downtown church on Sunday

Spokane firefighters battled a fire on the upper floors of a church in downtown Spokane on Sunday.

The Spokane Fire Department chief Brian Schaeffer reported shortly after the first call that the fire was under control.

The fire broke out over the “engine room” of the church, said Schaeffer at the scene. It was unclear how much the internal damage from the fire was.

A group of five to 15 people who were in the basement of the church at the time of the fire were asked to evacuate the building, but no injuries were reported, Schaeffer said.

The fire started at about 12:30 p.m. at New Community Church downtown at 518 W. Third Ave. reported. A fire was discovered on the upper floors of the building, Schaeffer tweeted.

The church was built in 1906, according to the county’s property records.

“This is a Spokane staple, a very historic building,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer said investigators were investigating the cause of the fire, which was undetermined by Sunday afternoon.