A fire that nearly destroyed a North Maple home early Tuesday morning was arson, according to a Spokane Fire Department investigator.

No one was home when the fire burned the one-bedroom, single-story house at 5307 N. Maple. The fire destroyed the kitchen, melted the rear windows, charred the roof sheeting and caused heavy smoke damage.

“It could very well be considered a total loss,” said Lt. Michael Zambryski, fire investigator.

He estimated the damage at $40,000 on a house roughly estimated to be worth $50,000.

Zambryski suspects the house was set afire by two juveniles based upon footprints he found stretching from the house to an alley.

Neither the home’s owner, nor the tenant, are considered suspects. The house is owned by William Ammon of San Diego. The tenant, a college student, was in the process of moving out of the house.

Anyone with information about the fire can call the Spokane Fire Department at 625-7100 and should ask for a fire investigator. , DataTimes