Two found dead in Spokane Valley house fire

Two people were found dead early Tuesday as Spokane Valley firefighters battled a house fire.

Crews were called to the home in the 1900 block of North Sipple Road about 1:40 a.m., Spokane Valley police said in a news release. Most of the residence was in flames by the time firefighters arrived. Firefighters found two bodies when they entered the home.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes detectives were called to the scene to work with Spokane Valley investigators.

“Because they’re still trying to get things confirmed, it is an investigation into their deaths,” said Deputy Mark Gregory, Sheriff’s Office spokesman. “We don’t know what causes this, or if it is a criminal matter.”

KHQ reported that multiple neighbors called 911 after they awoke to an explosion and saw the home on fire.

Russ Lee, who lives with his wife, Kim, on the corner of Sipple and Nora Avenue, said he didn’t hear any sort of explosion, which surprised him, because he can clearly hear trains passing about three blocks away near Trent Avenue over the fan blowing in the bedroom window.

He said he awoke early Monday morning to the smell of smoke wafting in through the window and headed outside to see if he could help.

“The fire was just getting bigger and bigger,” he said. “I heard windows breaking. But there weren’t any bombs or anything going off.”

Lee said there were multiple police officers surrounding the house, looking for a way in, but the flames were too strong.

Amber Konkle, who lives near Lee, also said she didn’t hear anything other than sirens.

“We didn’t hear anything else,” she said.

Spokane Valley police officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.