Two Monday morning house fires keep Spokane firefighters busy

Spokane firefighters had a busy Monday morning after two house fires broke out on the east side of the city.

Crews responded around 6 a.m. to 1923 N. Nelson St. for a basement fire that was rapidly spreading to the first floor of the home, said Steve Sabo, Spokane Fire Department battalion chief. Firefighters initially fought the fire by going through the front door, but later withdrew and worked from outside the house.

“We had to pull crews out because the floor was dropping into the basement,” Sabo said.

No occupants were found inside the house, Sabo said. .

The fire was mostly out by 8 a.m., though some crews remained on scene. Sabo said the house likely would be a total loss. The house was built in 1947, according to county records.

Police were called to the house around 1 a.m. Monday to respond to a landlord-tenant dispute, police spokeswoman Officer Teresa Fuller said.

“We don’t know if that factors into the fire or not,” Sabo said. Fire investigators are working to determine a cause.

A second house fire broke out at 2413 E. First Ave. around 7:30 a.m. Monday. Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said the house was a duplex and the fire may have started in a back bedroom.

Nobody was inside the home when the fire broke out, Schaeffer said, and the occupants returned to the scene just before 8 a.m. Monday.

The cause of that fire is also under investigation.

Staff writer Eli Francovich contributed to this report.