Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a reported structure fire at 20005 E. Micaview Drive in Greenacres, just before 11 am today. The first SVFD units on the scene observed heavy grey and black smoke coming from a metal-sided, detached 36’x40’ outbuilding about 40 feet behind the home.

Firefighters initially took an offensive approach, moving inside the building to extinguish the fire. Due to safety concerns about possible building collapse, firefighters evacuated and adopted a defensive approach to the fire, surrounding the exterior of the burning building to extinguish the fire. The incident was upgraded to a working fire, bringing more resources to the scene.

The retired residents were home at the time of the fire and were alerted by a neighbor “aggressively” knocking on their door. No one was inside the outbuilding at the time of the fire. The building contained a new truck, fifth wheel trailer and boat along with tools and storage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The insured outbuilding was a total loss and estimated damages could exceed $150,000. With rapid and efficient attack, firefighters kept the fire from spreading to another outbuilding and the nearby home, saving an estimated $260,000.

A total of 15 apparatus and support vehicles responded to the scene, including one crew from Spokane Fire District #8. No firefighter injuries were reported.