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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Security guard spots house fire in northeast Spokane, firefighters overcome obstacles to quickly extinguish blaze

Firefighters extinguished a house fire early Saturday morning in northeast Spokane after a security guard patrolling a row of vacant residences reported a fire at the back of the home.

Crews were called shortly after midnight to the 1900 block of East Lyons Avenue where they found the flames, according to a Spokane Fire Department news release.

Significant waste and debris in the backyard initially inhibited firefighting operations, the release said. The house was vacant, but there were still substantial materials and property from previous tenants.

The amount of material created “hoarder-like conditions” for firefighting crews, the department said. The building was secured with plywood and padlocks, which also slowed firefighting operations initially.

The fire was out by 12:25 a.m. and there were no injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.