Teen narrowly escapes Martin City house fire

A Martin City teen narrowly escaped a fire that destroyed the family home Tuesday morning. Jacob Hagen, 15, was in bed when he heard a popping sound. He woke up and his bed was on fire. He raced out of the house and through a fully engulfed porch to safety with just minor injuries.

Hagen then called 911 and his father, Darin, to tell him the family home at Coram Work Station Road was on fire. The fire apparently started in the garage, set a nearby tree on fire and then the house, said Jill Hagen, Jacob’s mother.

The Hagens have lived on the property for 23 years. They did have homeowner’s insurance, Jill said. Both Jill and Darin were at work when the fire broke out.

Firefighters from Hungry Horse-Martin City, Coram-West Glacier and the Forest Service all responded to the scene of the fire at roughly 11 a.m. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. The fire was kept from spreading into the nearby woods.