Two early morning fires keep crews busy

Crews with the Spokane Fire Department stayed busy Saturday morning as they fought two house fires that started within a couple hours of each other, including one that badly burned a resident. Firefighters first responded to a kitchen fire at 12:39 a.m. Saturday in the North Hill neighborhood. When they arrived at 1107 W. Frederick Ave. they saw smoke coming from the single-family home. The fire was quickly extinguished and crews were able to prevent it from spreading to other areas of the house. No one was injured in the fire, which was caused by unattended cooking on the stove, according to a fire department news release. The kitchen sustained heavy damage with smoke damage throughout the house. The estimated loss is $10,000. The tenant is staying with relatives. Less than two hours later, firefighters responded to another fire in which a man suffered second and third-degree burns on his hands and one arm after his home caught on fire early Saturday. When crews arrived at his wood-framed house at 1703 E. 40th Ave. at 2:23 a.m. and saw heavy smoke pouring from the home’s front door, according to the Spokane Fire Department. The 45-year-old man met crews in the front yard and told them no one else was inside. He was treated at the scene then taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for his burns. His current condition is not known. No firefighters were injured in the fire, but one cat died. The fire damaged the rear bedroom, where crews say it started, and the bedroom’s contents. Heavy smoke and heat damaged the remainder of the house. The estimated loss is $10,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.