No one injured after church basement blaze in south Spokane on Sunday evening

Spokane firefighters extinguished a fire that started Sunday afternoon in the basement of an empty church with no injuries reported.

At 4:01 p.m. the Spokane Fire Department got a call that the Bethany Presbyterian church at 2607 S. Ray St. was on fire, said Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.

They were able to contain the blaze, which Schaeffer said they believe started in the church basement.

Schaeffer said no one was inside the building when they searched it upon arrival. The extent of the damage was unknown as of Sunday night, and they were still investigating the fire, he said.

About 40 firefighters were on scene to extinguish the fire, he said. Police shut down part of Ray Street while responders worked.