Residents escape before fire destroys mobile home

Two older residents smelled smoke this morning in their single-wide mobile home at the Flamingo Trailer Court in Spokane Valley and fled for safety before fire destroyed their home. About 20 firefighters from Spokane Valley Fire Department went to the 5:49 a.m. fire at 17611 E. Appleway. They extinguished the fire in just over an hour, said Fire Marshal Kevin Miller. The residents said they were having breakfast when the lights went out and they smelled smoke coming from the furnace. A neighboring mobile home had a broken window caused by heat from the blaze. The home did not have a working smoke detector, Miller said, so the residents were lucky they were awake when the fire started. Miller said smoke detectors are available for free at any Spokane Valley fire station to those who cannot afford to purchase one. The Spokane chapter of the American Red Cross was at the scene to provide emergency food and clothing for the displaced occupants.