Crews extinguish South Hill fire before dawn

Firefighters extinguished a fire in an apartment building on the South Hill before dawn Tuesday, the Spokane Fire Department said.

Firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from the second floor of the building at 1527 W. Sixth Ave. just before 5 a.m.

The building was a two-and-a-half story home converted into four apartment units. Firefighters evacuated the building residents and confined the fire to a single unit, the department said.

Twenty-seven firefighters responded to the call. There were no injuries.

Deputy chief Rex Strickland said there was about $250,000 in damage to the building, but only a single unit was damaged.

All apartment units were apparently occupied, he said, but it wasn’t clear if anyone was displaced. He doesn’t suspect other units were affected by the fire.

Flames damaged a second-story unit and stairwell, and there also was smoke damage.

One firefighter was transported to the hospital but has since returned to duty, Strickland said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.