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

Family, with help from neighbor, escapes fire in north Spokane home

An intense blaze gutted a family’s home early Monday morning in north Spokane.

Two people who lived on the upper floors of the home at 227 E. Lacrosse Ave. escaped on their own. But two others who lived in the basement were assisted through a ground-level window by a “heroic neighbor,” the Spokane Fire Department said in a news release.

Firefighters, who were called to the scene about 3:15 a.m., were able to prevent the spread of fire to a neighbor’s home, which was damaged by the intense heat, said Spokane Fire Battalion Chief Mike Kulsrud.

“When we got here there was fire showing pretty much from every opening in the structure,” Kulsrud said.

One person from the home was injured and taken to a hospital, according to the news release.

Grace Wilkinson, who lives nearby and is friends with the family displaced by the fire, said the family’s dog woke them up, warning them of the fire. The dog escaped unharmed, and no one suffered a significant injury, she said.

A few firefighters remained on the scene around 8:30 a.m., helping to find belongings in the charred home return them to the family.

Kulsrud said the cause of the fire is under investigation. Arson is not suspected.

Spokane County records indicate the home, which is across from Byrne Park, was built in 1905 and has been owned by Michelle and Jose Solis for more than a decade.