Early morning basement fire under investigation

The Spokane Fire Department doused a basement fire that broke out after 1 a.m. Friday in north Spokane and displaced a single family, according to a news release. No injuries were reported in the blaze that caused smoke damage throughout the single-story wood-frame home at 208 E. Empire Ave. When firefighters arrived, the occupants had already cleared the building, according to the Fire Department. Investigators are trying to determine a cause for the fire, which took about a half hour to extinguish. Though the fire began in the basement, it quickly spread through the fireplace to the first-story and attic of the dwelling. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents of the home, according to the news release.