Arson May Be Cause Of Fire That Gutted Valley Duplex

A fire that gutted a Spokane Valley duplex Thursday afternoon may have been intentionally set, fire officials said.

Valley Fire Deputy Fire Marshal Eric Olson called in a dog trained to sniff out accelerants, such as gasoline, from the Post Falls Fire Department to search for the cause. Results of that search were not available.

The fire is considered suspicious, and is still under investigation, Olson said.

A man working next door to the duplex at 8921 E. Alki heard glass breaking about 1 p.m. and noticed smoke billowing behind one of the units.

He called firefighters on his cellular telephone and pounded on doors at the duplex but found no one inside, Olson said.

The fire, which broke out a window behind the unit on the west side of the duplex, had burned itself out when firefighters arrived minutes later.

The blaze was contained to one unit. The door on the adjacent unit was open when firefighters arrived and appeared to have been kicked open, Olson said.

It was not immediately know who lives in the duplex.

Damage to the contents inside the burned unit was extensive. A dollar estimate was not available. There did not appear to be any fire damage to the other unit.

, DataTimes