Apartment Building, Residential Liberty Lake, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at unfinished apartment complex; No injuries reported March 26, 2019 viking210 An apartment complex that was under construction in Liberty Lake was seriously damaged after a fire. The fire was reported to have started in a full size pickup parked next to the building. The fire spread from the pickup to the complex, which was in the final stages of construction and unoccupied at the time of the fire. The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to the complex in the 21900 block of east Country Vista Dr. Friday evening. When crews arrived, they found a Liberty Lake police officer, an off-duty Fire District 9 Lieutenant and the complex’s maintenance man using fire extinguishers in an attempt to extinguish the fire. They weren’t able to put out the fire despite using six extinguishers. However, the Spokane Valley Fire Department said their efforts weren’t in vain, as they helped slow the fire growth, buying crews more time. The fire department says the building’s construction also played a part in slowing the spread of the fire. The building was equipped with a working sprinkler system. The garage also had two layers of 5/8 gypsum board on the walls and ceiling, which prevented the fire from extending into the wood framing of the building. The reason the pickup burned is still under investigation and extensive damage occurred to the pickup and the front of the building. No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported.
