Firefighters rescue lizards, cats, dogs
Creston Volunteer Firefighter Joe Brenneman carries a pet bearded dragon, a type of lizard, away from a home engulfed in smoke in Columbia Heights on Tuesday morning.
Smoke is blown away further from the building by the frigid wind.
Creston Firefighters carry out the lizard's terrariums.
A Columbia Falls firefighter create holes near the roof of the building to allow the heat and smoke escape.
Columbia Falls firefighter stand on the porch of the building's second level.
Creston firefighters carry pets out of the smokey structure.
Creston Firefighters bring pets outside to safety.
Crews pass a spraying water hose up to a Columbia Falls firefighter to shoot through a windowpane.
Columbia Falls firefighters ascend an outside staircase.
Linda Jaquette walks "Chica" away from a truck she was temporarily being held in after being rescued from the building.
Linda Jaquette tries to pull "Chica" out of a a car she was temporarily being held in after being rescued from the building.
Firefighters rescued cats, dogs and bearded dragon lizards from a burning house just off U.S. 2 east of Columbia Falls Tuesday morning.
No one was injured during the fire, which destroyed a garage and an apartment above it.
Badrock Fire Chief Dan Ellman said a woman living in the apartment was alerted to the fire just after 9 a.m. when smoke began filling the building.
Paramedics examined the woman, who was uninjured.
Five chickens that were being kept in the garage died, apparently from smoke inhalation.
Ellman said about 27 firefighters from three departments — Badrock, Creston and Columbia Falls — battled the blaze until about 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The fire destroyed the garage and the apartment.
“The flames ate up a good portion of it,” Ellman said.
The fire did not appear to damage the main living space of the two-story structure.
The owner of the home, Linda Jaquette, said she planned to remain at the home Tuesday night. She said three dogs, three cats and two bearded dragon lizards were rescued from the home.
“The house part is fine,” she said. “No damage anywhere.”
The fire destroyed the belongings of the man and woman who lived in the apartment. They are caretakers for the various animals that live at the home, she said.
Jaquette said the fire initially was believed to have started in the garage, but that it might have started in a chimney.
Ellman said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Reporter Eric Schwartz may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at eschwartz@dailyinterlake.com.