The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a fire at the Bitterroot Apartments Wednesday night, which was extinguished by a functioning sprinkler system.
They received multiple calls of smoke and visible flames on the second floor of the apartments, with one caller speculating that it was a barbecue fire.
Upon arrival, firefighters saw light smoke on the second floor deck, but confirmed that the fire was extinguished.
Spokane Valley Fire Inspector Brett Anderson determined that residents were throwing out cigarettes into a cardboard box on the deck, which caught fire before an automatic sprinkler system put it out.
“Sprinklers work!” said Anderson, stressing the importance of having a working sprinkler system.