Two house fires keep Spokane Fire crews busy

The Spokane Fire Department was stretched thin Saturday by two major fires, several brush fires and a chimney fire. Crews were called to the 800 block of East Brady Avenue just after 10:30 a.m. today to find a large amount of flames showing on both floors of a home, said Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer. “It was a late notification,” Schaeffer said. The residents were not home at the time of the fire. A pet parrot died in the fire. A cat was also reported to be in the home, but Schaeffer said he wasn’t sure if the animal had been accounted for. The rental home and its contents are a total loss, Schaeffer said. “Everything from the ceiling joists up is gone,” he said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Schaeffer said investigators have to dig through debris to try to determine how the fire started. While firefighters were still mopping up the fire on Brady, a new fire was reported in the 2300 block of East Sanson Avenue. Firefighters found smoke in the attic and used thermal imaging cameras to pinpoint the fire in the ceiling and walls. Crews were able to stop the fire before it spread to the roof. The three residents were able to make it out of the home uninjured. Damages are estimated at $30,000. The cause of the fire was traced to a problem with the electrical wiring, Schaeffer said. The Red Cross is assisting the residents of both homes.