South Hill apartment fire displaces seven residents

Seven people were displaced after a Thursday morning fire damaged a small apartment building on Spokane’s South Hill.

Firefighters were called around 9:50 a.m. to a report of a rubber odor and alarms sounding on the 1800 block of West Seventh Avenue, Spokane Fire Department Deputy Chief Rex Strickland said.

A single fire engine responded initially, but units discovered a fire inside the top part of the 2½-story house, which was renovated into seven apartment units, Strickland said.

Several more fire vehicles and medical units were then called to the scene.

Strickland said the fire was contained to the top floor, but significant smoke and water damage occurred throughout the structure. The fire, which appeared to have been burning for a significant amount of time, was extinguished within 10 minutes.

Strickland said the American Red Cross provided lodging for three adults and four other people were not assisted at the time by Red Cross. He said it’s possible the four received assistance elsewhere.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no injuries.