No one injured when fire damages home

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

A rental home in Columbia Falls was heavily damaged by fire last Thursday morning (April 17), but a woman, her child and a dog escaped unharmed.

Candice Holt said she believed the fire started from an electrical heater in her bedroom. She said she tried to put it out herself but couldn't, so she got herself and her 4-year-old son, Brandon, out of the house along with their dog, Molly.

Holt said she rented the home at 27 Eighth St. West from Mark Norby.

The fire was under control shortly after firefighters arrived, but the house appeared to be heavily damaged from the fire, as flames were initially shooting out the windows.

Holt was critical of the volunteer fire department and police. She claimed police threw her on the ground and that firefighters took too long to get there.

But Fire Chief Bob Webber was adamant that his firefighters did a "fantastic" job. He said he got the call at 8:26 a.m. and was on the scene at 8:30 a.m. and while there were two alarms called out, Webber explained that some employers will not allow firefighters to leave work unless there is a second alarm.

"Their response time was fantastic," Webber said.

Police Chief Dave Perry said Holt had to be restrained and was taken to the ground by police, but because she refused to get out of the area and was screaming at officers. In addition, her vehicle, Perry said, was parked in front of the fire hydrant and the keys were in the burning house.

Officers Steve Hughes and Todd Mertz had to push the vehicle out from in front of the hydrant, Perry said.

Holt wasn't injured, though she did burn her pajamas trying to put out the fire.

While Holt claimed it was an electrical heater, Webber said he didn't find evidence that the fire was electrical. He said the fire's cause could not be determined. Firefighters did recover a jewelry box and another box containing important papers, Webber said.

Holt's two 10-year-old stepsons, Wyatt and Cody, were at school at the time of the fire. Her husband, William Crawford, was not home at the time, either.

Firefighters also reponded to two other fires that day. A grass fire near the Aluminum plant and another grass fire later that afternoon. Both fires were quickly contained, but, Webber points out, some volunteers missed an entire day of work.

Folks who want to help out the family can call Alice Crawford at 897-2059.