Massive fire at Columbia Falls apartment building

A multiplex apartment building on Fourth Avenue West was ruined by an afternoon fire Sunday in Columbia Falls, but no one was injured.

The exact cause of the fire was still under investigation Monday, but it’s considered accidental in nature, Columbia Falls Fire Chief Karl Weeks said. The fire started just before 2 p.m. in apartment No. 3. The building had nine units total. There is a 10th apartment, but it was in a separate building.

The explosions people heard were fireworks and ammunition going off after the fire started, Weeks said.

Resident Brandon Beland said he was sitting on his couch when he saw a neighbor running around in the yard. The neighbor said the apartment building was on fire.

He said he heard banging from an apartment above his. He then heard that there was a dog left in an apartment and the owner wasn’t home. He charged upstairs, ran through the door and saved the dog, a pug named Shadow.

Firefighters also found two dogs safe and sound during mop-up, Weeks said. They had taken shelter under a bed and were fine. While the building is a loss, Weeks said several apartments only had water and smoke damage.

Several families got out with just the clothes on their backs.

He said firefighters did a great job of containing the blaze to building.

“I was very happy, considering what we had when we got there,” Weeks said.

All told, 15 Columbia falls firefighters responded, as well as firefighters from West Valley, Evergreen, Bad Rock and Blankenship. Three Rivers EMS treated several firefighters for heat symptoms. Temperatures were in the 90s when the blaze broke out.

The Columbia Falls Department had the first use of its new ladder truck. The truck can spray water at 2,000 gallons a minute and it worked well, Weeks noted.

Firefighters were off the scene at 6:56 p.m.

This story has been updated from its original version.