Spokane: Working Smoke Alarms Help Seven Escape Early-Morning House Fire

June 2, 2026 ~ Spokane Fire Department Responds to Early Morning House Fire, Rescues Elderly Residents and Cat

At 4:01 a.m. today, firefighters from the Spokane Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 800 block of East Indiana Ave. According to reports from Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire PIO, the fire was fully involved in the basement and two elderly residents were trapped inside.

Engine 2 and Truck 2 from the Bemiss neighborhood arrived at the scene within four minutes and confirmed the basement fire. The firefighters quickly sprang into action, with Truck 2 firefighters using a ladder to access the upper bedrooms. However, they encountered dense smoke and limited visibility, making it difficult to reach the trapped residents.

Despite their efforts to reach the basement through internal stairs, they were unsuccessful due to heavy fire and a stairway failure. In a heroic move, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire through a boarded exterior window.

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During their search for the trapped residents, firefighters also found a cat and brought it safely outside. Fortunately, functioning smoke alarms alerted residents on the main and second floors of the house, allowing them to evacuate before firefighters arrived.

One elderly adult female was transported to the hospital as a precaution due to existing medical conditions. The rest of the residents were unharmed but have been displaced from their home due to heavy fire damage in the basement and smoke damage throughout.

A joint investigation by Spokane Fire Department and Spokane County Fire District 4 determined that combustibles placed too close to a basement heater caused the fire. As a result of this incident, seven adult residents have been temporarily displaced from their home.

This incident serves as an important reminder of how crucial working smoke alarms are in saving lives during emergencies. The Spokane Fire Department offers free smoke alarms for qualifying homes and can be contacted at 509.625.7149 for more information about this program or any questions regarding smoke alarm coverage.

Attached to this press release are two photos of the house fire, highlighting the extent of the damage caused by the fire. The Red Cross was also summoned to the scene to assist with temporary housing for the displaced residents.

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