Family escapes early morning Hillyard house fire

A family of six escaped from a basement fire in Hillyard early Thursday morning.

Spokane firefighters responded to 4230 E. Central Ave. around 4 a.m. and found heavy smoke coming out of the windows and eaves of the one-story home, the fire department said in a news release. Two children were asleep in the basement when the fire started, but everyone escaped the house unharmed.

Firefighters had the fire out within 30 minutes, the release said. The family is being helped by the American Red Cross.

There were no working smoke detectors in the home, the release said. Damage is estimated at $40,000 and the fire’s cause is under investigation.