2 firefighters injured in Sunday fire in Hillyard

Two firefighters were injured Sunday afternoon fighting a garage fire in the Hillyard neighborhood, the Spokane Fire Department reported.

One firefighter was hospitalized due to heat exhaustion, and another was also injured, the department said in a news release. Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer confirmed that the firefighter who suffered from heat exhaustion was treated and has since been released. He said the other firefighter underwent surgery at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and is recovering.

No cause has been determined for the fire at 3815 E. Broad Avenue. The garage collapsed in the blaze and the home suffered extensive damage. Arson has not been ruled out, Schaeffer said.

Responding firefighters conducted a search of the smoke-filled residence and found no occupants inside. The home did not have electricity at the time of the incident, the news release said.

While first responders were at the scene within five minutes, large amounts of clutter inside and outside the home led to difficulties in combating the blaze, though firefighters were able to prevent the fire spreading to a nearby shop, according to the news release.

Jim Taylor, a manager at Pro Mechanical Services Inc., which is next door to the destroyed garage, said that the property was abandoned. He said a number of individuals have been trespassing on the site, and there was an effort to “get the people living there off.” The property is strewn with debris and trash.

The property was purchased by Cedar Storage LLC in February, according to Spokane County property records. Workers at the company’s office, which shares an address and registered agent with Cedar Builders Inc. and Cedar Property Management Inc. declined to comment. Storage facilities are under construction at a property also owned by Cedar Storage adjacent to the damaged property.