Two Ferndale houses burn in 16-hour span

Two fires were sparked over the weekend by residents trying to keep the blast of arctic temperatures out of their homes, according to Ferndale Fire Chief Marvin Eaves.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, Ferndale Fire Department responded to a fire on Red Owl Trail. Eaves said the homeowner was trying to thaw frozen pipes with a propane torch and the torch was accidentally knocked over. The resulting blaze spread through an interior wall from the basement, which Eaves said destroyed the northwest wall of the structure. The damages were contained enough that the house is still livable.

 “Our guys did a good job,” Eaves said. “We had a good turnout from Bigfork and Swan Lake.”

That turnout was important, because 9 a.m. the next day, firefighters responded to a second fire, this one on Wapiti Lane in Ferndale.

“When the guys got on scene it had already vented through the roof,” Eaves said. “We lost about two-thirds of that house.”

Eaves said that the preliminary cause in that fire seemed to be a heater.

Bitter cold temperatures during both fires proved to be a challenge for firefighters.

“It was about -11 degrees wind chill,” Eaves said. “Guys get real tired out and you can’t keep them out there for more than 10 minutes or so.”

Eaves said Ferndale received staffing help from not only Bigfork and Swan Lake, but also from Somers and Creston for the fire on Wapiti Lane.

Eaves said a fire of that size would usually require a crew of about 15 in good weather, a number he doubles when the mercury has dropped.

“When you’re working in those kinds of conditions you need about 30 people to meet the needs,” he said. “That way you can rehab people and have attack lines, safety line and a rapid intervention team in case something goes wrong.”

There were no injuries in either blaze.

Ferndale Fire Captain Ken Miller urged caution for homeowners or renters during the cold weather when attempting to thaw frozen pipes or use supplemental heaters.

“Check for proper ventilation before using any gas, propane or kerosene heater and never use these types of heaters in small, enclosed spaces,” he said. Miller also recommended looking for Underwriter Laboratory certification on any electric heater to ensure its safety and inspecting all heating elements and cords for damage prior to use.