Spokane Valley firefighters kept busy overnight, battling two fires that started because the homeowners heated towels in the microwave.

The first fire happened just before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on Valley Ridge Road.

An elderly woman heating a towel in the microwave noticed it was smoldering. She placed it in a sink in the garage and ran water over it to extinguish the fire.

Around 4:15 a.m. firefighters received another call, this time for a house fire in the 14600 block of East Main.

When firefighters arrived they could see smoke coming from the roof. When they got around to the back of the home they spotted fire on the deck, in the kitchen and in the attic.

The two men living at the house got out safely. One of the men told fire investigators they tried to heat a damp towel in the microwave. It started smoldering, so they placed it on their back deck thinking they had extinguished it.

From what investigators can tell the origin of the fire started where they towel was placed.

The fire was extinguished quickly.