Man suspected of starting fires on the South Hill arrested

Sept. 24, 2019 Updated Tue., Sept. 24, 2019 at 7:35 p.m.

The cite of a brush fire near Polly Judd Park. (Emma Epperly / The Spokesman-Review)

By Emma Epperly emmae@spokesman.com (509) 459-5122

Police arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of starting three fires Tuesday morning on the South Hill.

Alexander C. L. Menko was booked into Spokane County Jail on two counts of reckless burning. He has no prior criminal record.

Two witnesses came forward and one took a photo of Menko, which helped police locate him nearby, said Spokane police spokesman John O’Brien.

The first fire was at West 10th Avenue and South Oak Street near a garage, said O’Brien. The second was just a block away on West 11th Avenue. The last fire was near Polly Judd Park.

The fire could have spread quickly with Tuesday’s warm weather and windy conditions, O’Brien said.

It was not known how the fires were started and the incident was under investigation, O’Brien said.