Fire on East Sprague was deliberately started, fire department says

Spokane fire crews extinguished a fire at a commercial outbuilding on Wednesday evening in the East Central Neighborhood that was deliberately started, according to a news release from the Spokane Fire Department.

The department responded within about four minutes after a passerby reported the fire at about 7:25 p.m. at a vacant car lot, located at 3258 E. Sprague Ave., across from Axel’s Pawn Shop.

An outbuilding with a trailer was found fully involved and was quickly extinguished. Both of the structures were vacant, the department said.

Rail traffic was briefly interrupted, the department said.

The property owner told fire officials people had been getting through the structure’s boarded up windows and doors over the course of several weeks, the fire department said. Nearby business patrons reported hearing commotion in the area about 20 minutes before the fire was discovered, the department said.

There were no injuries in the fire. The fire department estimated the fire loss at $100,000.