SPOKANE, Wash – Fire crews from several agencies are on the scene of a large fire on Newport Highway near the north Spokane YMCA.
The fire started just before 5 a.m. Sunday. Pictures posted from Spokane County Fire District 9 and the Spokane County Fire District 9 Firefighters shows what appears to be an apartment building that is under construction now fully engulfed in flames.
“I remember them being under construction for quite a few months now. Probably close to a year,” said neighbor Andrew Fay.
The YMCA of the Inland Northwest posted the northside location won’t open Sunday, but hope to be able to reopen Monday.
The YMCA says the facility is not in danger, but that access to the highway is closed.
Jon Fine, owner of Retro Donuts, located in the retail complex next door, says his employees were working when the fire was active.
“My phone rang right at 5 a.m., and it was my manager, Jamila, that was very panicked, saying, the police are here, the fire department’s here, we’ve got to evacuate…”, Fine said.
When he arrived on scene, he described the large fire.
“In that first 15 to 20 minutes…You see flames going hundreds of feet high and embers flying all around.”
He posted this video to Facebook, showing the buildings on fire.
As of this afternoon, fire crews were still on the scene, and all roads reopened.
It is not clear if tenants were living in any of the buildings that are fully built in the complex.
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says as of this afternoon, the fire district has not asked them to assist in determining what caused the fire. If the fire district requests assistance, they will step in.
This is a developing story, we’ll update when we get more information.
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