Disabled Smoke Alarm Contributes to Fatal Tiki Lodge Fire

Disabled Smoke Alarm Contributes to Fatal Tiki Lodge Fire

Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire PIO, [email protected]

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 8:55 a.m.

At 11:03 a.m. yesterday, Spokane firefighters responded to a reported room fire at the Tiki Lodge, 1420 W. Second Ave. Engine 1 and Truck 1 arrived within three minutes and observed smoke coming from a second-floor room.

Firefighters entered the room, extinguished a burning bed, and found an adult female victim. She was removed from the building and pronounced dead at the scene.

Additional crews inspected the attic and adjacent units and confirmed the fire was contained to the room of origin.

Spokane Fire Department investigators and the Spokane Police Department jointly investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident, as is standard procedure following a fire fatality.

Fire investigators determined the fire was electrical in nature and originated at an outlet near the mattress. No suspicious circumstances were identified. As part of the investigation, Spokane County Fire District 4 responded with its accelerant-detection canine team to help investigators evaluate the scene for ignitable liquid residues.

Investigators also determined that the smoke alarm in the involved unit had been disabled prior to the fire, which likely contributed to the fatality.

This incident underscores the importance of working smoke alarms. Even small fires involving modern furnishings can quickly produce toxic smoke that incapacitates occupants. Functional smoke alarms provide early warning, allowing for timely evacuation and notification of the fire department. Early detection and evacuation are essential in preventing fire-related deaths.

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