(UPDATE, 8:49 pm) Crews continued working into the night to demolish the remaining bits of the house left standing to prevent any start up overnight and into Friday, with high temperatures and winds expected in the area.
Aaron Leys of the Choteau Fire Department said, “We’ve got high winds forecasted and a hot day. A house in a pile won’t ignite as easily as a house still-standing with the wind blowing through it.”
The owner says nobody was inside when the fire started on the northwest side of the garage. He speculates it could have been caused by faulty electrics.
The family was able to collect a few belongings before smoke became too much to handle.
The owner’s wife ran into the house to save their cat and dog but both are believed to have died in the fire.
A family member has created a fundraising page to help:
My sister Tegan Kesler and husband Craig Kesler lost their home and 2 of their 3 pets in a house fire today. We are thankful Tegan, Craig and their kids were not in the home and are all safe, but devastated at the loss and complete desolation of their home and all belongings.
Click here if you would like to donate.
We will update you if we get more information.
(1st REPORT) Emergency crews are at the scene of a house fire in Teton County. The fire is along 26th Road NW, north of Choteau and east of Bynum.
Chris Hindoien, the mayor of the town of Choteau, said just after 5 p.m. that several agencies from across Teton County have responded to the fire.
Hindoien says the building was "engulfed" and has been destroyed.
Firefighters from Choteau, Pendroy, and Fairfield responded, as well as water trucks from the Teton County Road Department.
At this point, there is no word on whether anyone has been injured, nor the suspected cause of the fire.
We will update you when we get more information.
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