Mother, young daughter die in RV fire near Elk

A 37-year-old woman and her young daughter died in a motor home fire early Tuesday in north Spokane County.

A dog, caged outside the home and unable to flee, also perished in the fire.

Lonnie Rash, assistant chief of Spokane County Fire District 4, said firefighters responded to 33821 N. Elk-Chattaroy Road south of Elk after a neighbor called to report a brush fire just before 3 a.m. The fire was later reclassified as a structure fire.

The fire started in the RV and spread about a quarter-acre into the woods behind the home but was under control by 3:30 a.m., Rush said.

The 18- to 20-foot motor home burned down to its frame, and a nearby storage shed and shop were slightly damaged.

Fire investigators and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office major crimes detectives were on scene later Tuesday morning.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Detective James Dresback said the investigation was purely a fire investigation.

Rush said it’s too early to say whether the fire was suspicious.

“We’re early on in the investigation,” he said.

Deputy Tuan Nguyen was on scene and said he’d never personally been to the property before, but he’s heard other deputies called there for domestic violence and drug-related incidents.

The property that burned had about 30 cars in the yard, some of which were damaged in the fire. Rush said the debris in the yard made access a challenge for firefighters, but no firefighters were injured in the response.

The identities of the victims will be released by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.