Investigators looking for tips after suspicious house fire in Bemiss neighborhood Friday morning

A house fire Friday morning in the Bemiss Neighborhood is under investigation after neighbors spotted a person fleeing from the area shortly after the fire started.

At 5:25 p.m., a neighbor reported a vacant house on the 1800 block of East Empire Avenue was on fire, according to a news release from the Spokane Fire Department.

Firefighters arrived within minutes to find an outbuilding connected to the main house on fire. Crews quickly put out the exterior fire but found the fire had traveled into the eave of the residence and into the attic.

Firefighters cut ventilation holes into the roof to put out the remaining flames.

The house was vacant, which limited damages to about $50,000, the fire department said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation but is considered suspicious. A neighbor reported a person fleeing the area shortly after the fire began. They said there had been a problem with squatters in the outbuilding recently.

Anyone with more information on the area or the fire is asked to call (509) 625-7120 to speak with the Spokane Fire Special Investigations Unit.