Art and pieces of Spokane history locked in two safes would have been buried in a pile of rubble if not for a discovery by Spokane firefighters.
The firefighters were doing a week of training exercises in the former YWCA that will soon be demolished on the north bank of Spokane Falls when they found a 5-foot-tall safe, Deputy Fire Chief Rex Strickland said.
Firefighters used several tools, including the hydraulic Jaws of Life . The tool, normally used to open vehicles with people trapped inside, can create an opening large enough for a person to climb through.
Spokane firefighters recovered dozens of engraved, silver dishes, pottery by a renowned local artist Dorothy Fowler and a 58-year-old check for $2 when they opened the safe.
Firefighters also found a smaller safe inside.