Pablo home burns down
Karen Peterson/Leader<br>James and Debbie Stone, of Pablo, returned home Monday to find their house on fire, after a neighbor called to tell them. They lost everything, but nobody was hurt. They said they will stay at a friend's house until they determine their next step.
PABLO — Flames rolled through a two-story home outside of Pablo Monday afternoon, destroying the home and an RV nearby.
Owners James and Debbie Stone rushed home to see the flames after a friend notified them about the fire. James Stone said that everyone was safe, including the friends that were visiting, but as far as he knew they had lost their two cats.
Neighbor Phillis Lanktree was home when an unusual noise caught her attention.
"I heard a funny noise and I went out to see what it was and I saw the neighbor's deck on fire," Phillis said.
Surprised at what she saw, Phillis could only yell one word to her husband — "fire".
"She was yelling 'fire' and it took me a second to figure out where the fire was," Mike Lanktree said. "I called the fire department right away."
The Lanktrees watched the fire behind a white fence that divided the property.
"It went up so fast. I've never seen anything go so fast," Phillis Lanktree said. "I'm just grateful that no one was home. The motor home that was along side the home is completely gone."
The Ronan Fire Department was on the scene within minutes, and Polson Fire arrived to assist shortly thereafter. They moved in to contain the fire that quickly consumed the home. The tin roofing melted and bowed as the firemen sprayed gallons of water on the flames. Burnt remains were all that was left within an hour of the fire starting.
Ronan Ambulance stood ready at the scene as well.
The Stone couple had lived at the home for the past five years. The home once had light, gray siding, a green roof and a log style deck. The family had just finished puting the final touches on the home last year, the Lanktrees said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.