Fire destroys shed, RV
<p>Polson firefighters battle a blaze Monday afternoon on Minesinger Trail, after a fire started when a homeowner was burning grass in the area. A R.V. and run-in shed, which was used for storage, were destroyed. About 15 firefighters from the Polson Fire Department responded to the fire. (photo by Lourie Zipf)</p>
A controlled burn turned horribly wrong for one resident of Minesinger Trail Monday afternoon.
The homeowner was burning dead grass on his property and thought the fire he had started, was extinguished. However, it reignited, and a run-in shed, which was used for storage, eventually caught fire.
Along with the run-in shed, a camper and other items were destroyed, resulting in a total loss of $7,000, according to Karen Sargeant, public information officer for the Polson Fire Department.
A nearby utility pole also caught fire, which caused damage to the fiber optics housing at the top of the pole.
Subsequently, residents in the area lost phone service and as of Tuesday afternoon, it still wasn’t known if residents in the area had service, said Sargeant.
Now, the homeowner is not only liable for the damage to his property, but also for the damage to the utility pole.
“We want the public to know – if you do a controlled burn and it gets off your property and damages a utility pole, you are fully liable and responsible for that damage,” said Sargeant.
The Polson Fire Department strongly encourages those who are doing controlled burns to first watch the weather. All controlled burns should be reported to the fire department dispatch.
“It’s very important that residents treat a controlled burn like a campfire,” added Sargeant. “If it’s not cool to the touch, then it’s not out.”