Shadle area garage fires under investigation

Two early morning garage fires in the Shadle neighborhood were quickly extinguished Tuesday morning. 

The Spokane Fire Department responded to reports of a garage fire on the 4800 block of Oak Street at about 3:30 a.m. 

When an engine from the nearby Shadle Park Neighborhood Fire station arrived minutes after the initial call, firefighters found one detached garage engulfed in flames and another on fire, according to an SFD statement. 

The flames were threatening a nearby house, SFD said. Crews were able to extinguish the fires with in 5 minutes of arrival. 

After searching the two garages and house, firefighters determined there were no occupants. No injuries were reported. 

One of the detached garages sustained heavy fire damage, according to SFD. The second garage had moderate exterior and minor interior damage. Exterior siding on the house also melted, SFD said. An initial assessment by the fire department evaluated the damage at $50,000.  

Due to the suspicious nature of the fire, the Spokane Fire Special Investigation Unit and the Spokane Police Department are investigating.