July 7, 2009 in City

Fire damages mall arcade

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Jesse Tinsley photo

People work on top of the Spokane Valley Mall, where an electrical fire damaged the facade Monday morning. The fire was above Tilt, a video arcade.
(Full-size photo)

A fire that burned part of the Spokane Valley Mall’s exterior wall Monday was caused by neon lights.

The fire burned a 20-by-10 hole through the second-floor wall.

Tilt, the mall’s arcade, suffered smoke damage, said Bill Clifford, a spokesman for Spokane Valley Fire Department. Adjacent stores Payless Shoes and Deb, a clothing store, were not damaged, Clifford said.

“This is a fluke thing,” said Daryl Rheinghans, the mall’s general manager.

The mall is owned by General Growth Properties.

Mall security reported the blaze about 6:30 a.m. Monday after seeing smoke coming from the roof, Clifford said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the area outside the second floor.

A damage estimate was not available, Clifford said.

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