South Hill fire blamed on candle and tree

A Spokane family lost their South Hill home Thursday afternoon after a candle ignited a Christmas tree. The fire quickly spread through the rental home at 38 W. 32nd Ave., causing severe damage.

“Once your Christmas tree’s ignited like that it doesn’t take long,” said Spokane Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Brown.

Two boys, ages 9 and 10, were in the house when the blaze started but escaped unharmed. Their names are not being released, and Brown didn’t know if they’re related.

The family living there is being assisted by the Inland Northwest chapter of the American Red Cross.

“They won’t be moving back in anytime soon,” Brown said.

The blaze was reported about 3:40 p.m. and the home was fully engulfed in flames when the fire department arrived.

Firefighters knocked the blaze down in about 10 minutes.

Emergency lights filled West 32nd Avenue between South Bernard and South Division streets as more than a dozen firefighters fought the fire. Curious neighbors stood by.

“It looked like the front room was on fire,” said Joanna Rohrmann, who lives three houses down from the ruined home. “Did it blow out the front window?”

“You could sure see the fire, so it must have,” said Deedee King, Rohrmann’s next-door neighbor. King noticed the fire when she went to take her garbage out but didn’t call the fire department – she could already hear fire engine sirens.

“They knocked it down really quick,” Rohrmann said.