Two-alarm fire destroys garage, leaves firefighter with minor injury

Spokane Fire responded to a two-alarm house fire on the South Hill on Saturday that left a firefighter with a minor injury. At about 2:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a call that a detached garage at 3132 S. Manito Blvd., had caught fire when the homeowner accidentally spilled gasoline while working on his car, Battalion Chief Steve Sabo said. The man’s torch ignited the gasoline, and the fire destroyed the garage. When firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to a nearby shed and was threatening the house and a neighbor’s garage, Sabo said. The homeowner was trapped inside the garage but escaped with only singed hair. A firefighter battling the blaze received a deep laceration on one hand, Sabo said. Though it did not appear tendons had been cut, he was transported to the hospital. Sabo said he’s never elevated a house fire to a two-alarm response before, but did when it appeared that the house was in danger of catching fire. Four units were dismissed shortly after arriving when firefighters contained the fire to the garage and shed, he said.