Firefighters rescue resident, cat from northeast Spokane house fire

Firefighters rescued a resident from a house fire at an East Spokane home late Monday night.

Reports of smoke and fire visible on the second floor of a residence on the 1900 block of East Sharp Avenue came in at about 10 p.m., according to a news release from the Spokane Fire Department.

Police officers arrived and reported windows cracking with heavy smoke and fire. Officers attempted to enter the house to rescue those inside, but smoke and heat forced them out of the home.

Firefighters arrived within 2 minutes and were able to rescue resident Matt Legard while working to extinguish the fire.

“I was trying to grab my kitty Hannah from under the bed downstairs,” Legard said. “They had to pull me out, I was hysterical.”

Both Legard and the cat were brought to safety by firefighters.

All six residents were accounted for before firefighters began work to salvage the fire area, the department said.

An investigation determined that the fire was caused by someone smoking in or next to a bed, the fire department said. While there were smoke alarms in the home, they were not operational.

The majority of the building was intact, with fire damage estimated at $6,000, the fire department said.

It’s best to smoke outside away from flammable materials and use a deep, sturdy ashtray to ensure a cigarette will not spark a fire, the department said.