Fire damages concession building at Avista Stadium ahead of Spokane County Fair

A fire early Friday morning heavily damaged a concessions building at Avista Stadium in Spokane, Washington, home of the minor-league Spokane Indians, officials and local reports said. No injuries were reported, and fair officials said Spokane County Interstate Fair events would proceed as scheduled.

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) said in a social media update that crews responded at approximately 2:55 a.m. on Sept. 5 to reports of smoke and flames in the 600 block of N. Havana Street. "Arriving units found fire burning through the roof of a concessions building at Avista Stadium and quickly upgraded the call to a working fire," the statement said.

The 67-year-old ballpark suffered significant damage to the concession structure, which a local reporter and other accounts estimated at tens of thousands of dollars. SVFD and the City of Spokane Fire Department both responded to the scene. Officials said the structure was compromised by the blaze; no additional details about the extent of the damage to the rest of the stadium were released immediately.

Local CBS affiliate KREM reported that all fair-related events planned at the stadium for the opening day of the Spokane County Interstate Fair would continue as scheduled. Organizers and public-safety officials said there were no reported injuries to fairgoers, staff or first responders.

Investigators have not publicly released a cause for the fire. Fire department officials typically inspect and investigate fires of this nature, and SVFD said further information would be provided as it becomes available.

Avista Stadium, which opened in the 1950s, serves as the long-time home field for the Spokane Indians. The team and stadium operators had not issued a detailed statement by Friday afternoon; the full scope of repairs, expected timetable and potential impacts on future events remained unclear.

The early-morning blaze drew a multi-unit response and temporarily disrupted the quiet of the neighborhood surrounding the ballpark. Fire officials emphasized the importance of allowing investigators access to determine origin and cause, and city and county agencies began assessing damage and safety before daytime activity at the fair and stadium resumed.

Further updates were expected from fire officials and stadium representatives as assessments continue and investigators complete their work.