Fire displaces residents at home for troubled kids

A staff member woke four children and got them out of the house when a fire broke out early this morning at a home for troubled children in Spokane Valley. No one was injured and the children all are being housed in other homes around the area, a news release from the Spokane Valley Fire Department said. Firefighters received the call at 1:13 a.m. and found heavy fire coming from the garage at 1114 S. St. Charles Road. Five people were home when the fire broke out. The home’s child development director thought he heard something outside and when he looked, he saw smoke coming from the garage. He woke up the children and got everyone out, the release said. The home is not habitable, in part because the power has been shut off until the site is safe. The home had smoke alarms but they did not go off because the fire was contained to the garage, the release said. However, the home suffered some smoke damage when the ceiling and walls were opened up to ensure the fire hadn’t spread. The home was insured and the fire is under investigation.