Man killed in Chattaroy house fire identified

Brian S. Love, 42, has been identified as the man found dead in a house fire he apparently started himself after barricading himself in his room. According to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office, Love died of smoke inhalation as well as thermal burns. Spokane County Fire District 4 responded to the call at 4910 E. Chattaroy Road at 10:18 p.m. Wednesday after the man’s parents called police stating he was shooting fireworks in the house, a single-wide mobile home with additions, spokeswoman Megan Hill said. Police were first to the scene, Hill said, and by the time firefighters arrived, “it must have been burning for some time, shut up in the house.” Hill said firefighters struggled to get in the house and find Love because he had blocked access to his room. “He was barricaded in there … There was lots of furniture held up in one place and a mattress of some sort,” she said. The man also had ammunition in the house that was “popping off,” she said, and could have been confused with fireworks. It took firefighters about 45 minutes to extinguish the flames, and Love was pronounced dead at the scene. The motive is unclear at this time, Hill said. Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.