By Justin Russell
Photos by Miles City Fire Rescue photographer Brent “Woody” Smith
On June 16, 2014, at 1800 hours, Miles City (MT) Fire Rescue was dispatched for a garage on fire at 416 S. Montana. Units from Miles City Fire Rescue responded and, seeing a large black column of smoke coming from across town, requested mutual aid from Custer County Fire Department respond.
Upon arrival to the location, firefighters found a single-story double car detached garage fully involved with fire spread to exposures of two adjacent residential homes. The eaves of the main house at 416 Montana had begun to catch fire and the second house at 1415 Bachelor also had fire in the eaves and most of the siding on side B.
Also fire had spread to the power pole next to the garage, causing the main power wires to break causing arcing in the wires and on a vehicle parked in the alley. Two SUVs parked in front of the garage had also begun to catch fire.
The initial attack crew pulled a 2 1/2-inch line and was able to provide initial knockdown of the exposure fires and vehicle fires until the arrival of secondary crews, who made entry into both homes to ensure no spread to the structural components of the home.
The utility company arrived and was able to shut down power to electrical wires, allowing crews safe access to the second home for full extinguishment. After the exposure fires were extinguished, firefighters were able to reposition to fully extinguish the garage, which was a total loss and collapsed as initial crew arrived on scene. Both homes were saved with only exterior damage.
See more photos HERE.
