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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Building being remodeled at lumber mill catches fire

Spokane firefighters responded this morning to a two-alarm fire at an old lumber yard at 4030 E. Main Ave. The fire is out, but crews remain on scene. Battalion Chief Steve Sabo said the fire was called in about 5:42 a.m. at Trumark Industries by crews with American Medical Response, the city’s private ambulance service. “The building is essentially vacant, although they have been remodeling,” Sabo said. The fire was contained to a framed-in office area that is part of Trumark’s large complex of steel buildings. Fire crews were unable to contact the owners until well after the fire again, but it doesn’t appear anyone was at the site at the time. “It appeared the whole thing was going when we got here,” Sabo said. “It took us about 45 minutes to get it under control.” Trumark Industries processes lumber, but none of the material was inside of the building. The business has apparently not been operating since a major roof collapse caused by last year’s record snowfall, Sabo said. The office area under construction had power, but investigators were working on a cause. Sabo also did not have an estimate of how much damage the fire caused.