Sixteen residents displaced by north Spokane fire

SPOKANE — Sixteen residents were displaced and one cat died after fire broke out in a Hillyard apartment building on Sunday night. Arson investigators are looking for the cause of the fire that burned a house at Regal Street and Olympic Avenue that had been converted into apartments. Fire was confined to the building’s third floor, a news release from the Spokane Fire Department said. Eight women and eight men are staying at a local hotel provided by the Red Cross, the release said. Two people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene but declined transport to a medical facility. The building has been determined to be uninhabitable by the fire department until fire and smoke damage, along with electrical concerns and access issues, can be addressed by the building owner. Witnesses reported seeing someone suspicious near the home when the fire started shortly after 5 p.m.