Firefighter injured, seven people displaced after Hillyard apartment fire

The residents of an apartment building in Hillyard were able to escape a fire Thursday afternoon, but seven of them are now displaced and a firefighter was injured in the response.

The firefighter was injured while battling the blaze but was treated and released from the hospital, according to Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.

The fire occurred in a building at 3005 E. Broad Street, where firefighters arrived to find plumes of smoke emanating from the first floor shortly after 3 p.m.

Firefighters hurried to extinguish the flames from outside, sparing the neighboring building as the blaze crept into the second floor apartments, according to a news release issued by the Spokane Fire Department.

Flames also were leaping from the rear of the building and onto adjacent parked cars. Firefighters extinguished them and then entered the building to continue to douse the flames while searching for potential victims.

All of the residents had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, which was about 4 minutes after the original 911 call.

The building’s seven residents, six adults and one teen, were displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross was on scene to help them find temporary housing.

The Spokane Fire Department Special Investigations Unit determined the fire’s cause to be accidental.

Spokane County property records indicate the building is owned by Thelma Brideau.