Fire destroys 2 homes in Polson
Crews respond to a fire on Third Street West in Polson on Wednesday morning. Two homes were destroyed in the blaze. No one was injured. (Laurie Ramos/Lake County Leader)
Two homes in Polson were destroyed by fire Wednesday morning. No one was injured and the cause of the blaze is believed to be accidental.
According to information from the Polson Police Department, a single-family home on the 500 block of Third Street West was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived at about 6:30 a.m. The person living in the home evacuated from the home after being alerted by a smoke detector.
Burning out of control, the blaze spread to a house to the south as well. Residents of that home were alerted by law enforcement and self-evacuated.
Polson City Fire, Polson Rural Fire, Finley Point Fire, and Ronan Fire Department were dispatched to help fight the blaze. A total of 11 apparatus and 40 firefighters responded to the scene. Fire operations continued until 10 a.m. Both houses were deemed uninhabitable and considered total losses. A third house north of the initial residence received minor damage to the exterior of an adjacent garage. Total damages are estimated at $420,000 for all structures.
The Red Cross was dispatched to assist the displaced residents to secure temporary living arrangements.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is being conducted with the assistance of the Montana State Fire Marshal’s Office. At this time the fire is believed to be accidental.