Smoke at Spokesman-Review building triggers huge fire department response

Smoke on the top floors of The Spokesman-Review building drew a large response from the Spokane Fire Department on Tuesday night.

Battalion Chief Jim Schaffer said firefighters discovered light smoke throughout the seventh floor. No flames were found.

Schaffer said the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system may have caused the smoke in the building, located on the corner of Riverside Avenue and Monroe Street.

The call was reported at 7:25 p.m., and the dozens of crew members cleared a little after 9 p.m., at which point residents and employees were allowed back into the building.

He said maintenance crews assessed the situation further.

“These ones are a pain because you just got to chase them everywhere and try to figure out what’s going on and where,” Schaffer said.