North Spokane garage fire quickly extinguished after drawing large response

A detached garage caught fire late Saturday afternoon in north Spokane, sending a column of black smoke into the air that was visible from downtown and drawing a significant firefighter response.

Firefighters knocked down the blaze within 5 minutes of arriving at the garage, which abutted an alley north of the intersection of Howard Street and Wabash Avenue, Spokane Fire Battalion Chief Ryan Reding said. The fire drew 24 fire department personnel to the scene, he said.

The blaze, which was reported around 4:10 p.m., caused significant damage to the garage, including a partial collapse of the roof.

Reding said there were no injuries. He said people were inside the home associated with the garage, but they were not in significant danger.

The cause of the fire was undetermined, according to a Spokane Fire Department news release.

Wendell Lorenz, a neighbor, said he tried – without success – fighting the fire with a fire extinguisher and garden hose before firefighters arrived.

He said he saw thick smoke and flames, and heard popping sounds while the fire was burning the garage. Lorenz said he was worried about the flames reaching his detached garage, where his car was parked. Ultimately, his garage was not damaged.