Fire destroys 15th Street duplex

One person was hospitalized after a fire that destroyed a duplex in Coeur d’Alene early Friday morning.

The fire reportedly broke out around 1 a.m. near 15th Street and Stiner Avenue. When fire crews arrived, the duplex was fully engulfed and fire was spreading to a neighboring home and a tree.

One person was transported to the hospital with burn injuries.

Though the cause is under investigation, Coeur d’Alene fire inspector Craig Etherton said the fire appears to have started outside and spread to the residence.

The blaze was under control by 1:45 a.m., though fire crews and investigators remained on the scene until about 5:30 a.m.

Firefighters rescued two cats from the blaze, who were not initially evacuated with the residents.

The cats were reportedly unharmed and reunited with their owners.

“Animals are part of the family, so it’s important for us to try to get them out if we know they’re in there,” Etherton said.

Because the fire began outside, Etherton said, smoke detectors did not wake the sleeping occupants. He credited neighbors who alerted the occupants and reported the fire with preventing additional injuries.

“That speaks to our community and why we live where we live,” he said. “We all here to look out for each other.”