Fire leaves Spokane Valley house uninhabitable

A garage fire temporarily displaced several foster children from a Spokane Valley home.

The fire started just after1 a.m. Thursday in a garage on the 1100 block of South St. Charles Road.

Firefighters said the garage is destroyed and the house has smoke damage.

Spokane Valley Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford said the house is for “troubled children” and five people were home at the time of the fire. Four of them are foster kids, ranging from 9 to 18 years old.

The Child Development Director who was at the home said he thought he heard something outside and went to take a look. When he looked in the back of the house, he saw smoke coming from the garage. He went back inside, woke up the children and got everyone out of the house.

Clifford said the people living there will be allowed to return home sometime next week. The kids will be taken to other homes in the area until they can return.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.