Sponkane Valley, WA – Sprinkler system helps put out fire that started outside of restaurant

The Longhorn BBQ restaurant in Spokane Valley was damaged in an early morning fire Monday.

The Spokane Valley Fire department responded to the scene at 2315 N. Argonne Rd. just before 4:00 a.m.

Fire crews said the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters have a few leads. Metal cans were found near the site of the fire, leading firefighters to believe it could have been a warming fire started by homeless people in the area. Crews said it could have also started in the heating and air conditioning unit. The fire has been put out and crews are now mopping up.

The fire started outside, on the west side of the building. It quickly spread into the second floor office space, which activated sprinklers.

E. Montgomery is closed at N. Hutchinson because of thefire but Argonne Rd. is not affected. It is unclear if the restaurants plans to open on Monday. This is the second time in recent months that Longhorn BBQ locations have suffered from fire damage. The Airway Heights location of Longhorn BBQ caught fire in August and was sparked by an accident in an electrical area behind one of the interior walls.