Fire departments busy with structure fires, wrecks
Firefighters look over a tractor trailer truck that jack knifed on Highway 2 in the Bad Rock Canyon last week. (JP Edge photo)
Firefighters responded to a house fire on Fourth Avenue West. (Chris Peterson photo)
This camper a man was living in was destroyed by a fire Monday afternoon on Highway 40. (Chris Peterson photo)
Firefighters in Columbia Falls and Hungry Horse have been busy the past few days.
On Friday, Columbia Falls firefighters responded to a house fire about 4:15 p.m. on Fourth Avenue West in the city.
A small propane heater likely started a fire on the back porch that spread to the rest of the house, Columbia Falls Fire Chief Karl Weeks said. Everyone got out of the house safely, as did the pets, but the house had fire damage on the back end and extensive smoke and water damage throughout.
Firefighters were on the scene four minutes after the call came in, Weeks noted, which made a big difference, as the paint on the neighbor’s house was already starting to bubble from the heat. A few more minutes and the call could have been very different. Bad Rock and Whitefish responded with mutual aid.
Weeks noted that having paid staff in the city is already providing a dividend to residents, as evidenced by the quick response time.
Also on Friday U.S. Highway 2 was closed for three hours after a tractor trailer truck jack knifed in the Bad Rock Canyon about 10:40 a.m..
Hungry Horse Fire Chief Jared Lako noted there were no injuries in the wreck. The truck was empty and the driver said he lost control after a car braked and then he braked on the icy highway. Firefighters from Hungry Horse and Martin City were on the scene about an hour more cleaning up the wreck after the highway reopened.
On Saturday, Hungry Horse firefighters responded to a trailer home fire on Mountain Drive about 10 p.m. The owner of the home had minor burns to her hands after she tried to put it out, Lako said. She was staying with family and was referred to the Red Cross.
The fire consumed the home and the exact cause is under investigation. Bad Rock, Martin City and Coram-West Glacier responded with mutual aid.
On Monday afternoon Columbia Falls responded to a camper fire on Highway 40. The likely cause of the fire was a small propane heater in the front of the camper, Weeks said.
A man was living in the camper. He wasn’t home at the time, but a dog died in the fire.
The camper was a total loss, but firefighters
were able to keep the blaze from spreading to the house, which was very close to the camper.
The man was planning on staying in the house, which he owned and his parents lived in, Weeks noted.
