SPOKANE, Wash. — A fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at the Ridpath Club Apartments, located at 515 West Sprague Avenue, causing extensive water damage and displacing several residents.
At 2:54 p.m., Engine 7 was dispatched in response to reports of flooding on the fifth floor of the annex building. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered an active fire in a fifth-floor apartment, which had triggered the building's sprinkler system. At 3:01 p.m., the response was upgraded to a High-Rise Fire.
Crews confirmed the sprinkler system had successfully extinguished the flames, but significant water damage was spreading to the floors below.
Firefighters reported seeing occupants on the fourth floor leaning out of windows, unable to evacuate due to smoke and water. Truck 14 deployed an aerial device to assist one victim but determined conditions inside had improved enough to guide all residents out safely through stairwells.
Nine displaced residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross. While no injuries were reported during the evacuation, officials earlier noted one individual was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.
The fire was contained to its point of origin, thanks to the sprinkler system, but water damage is extensive across multiple floors. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and damage estimates are not yet available.