Fire destroys Hodgson Road home

The Daily Inter Lake

A house on Hodgson Road was destroyed by fire Sunday night, but the man who lived there was not at home at the time.

The Columbia Falls Fire Department was dispatched to the home southwest of Columbia Falls at about 9:40 p.m.

“The reporting party was a neighbor,” Columbia Falls Fire Chief Rick Hagen said. “The structure was heavily involved at the time the neighbor noticed it.”

The fire already was burning in the basement, main floor and attic, Hagen said.

“When we arrived it was already venting through the roof,” he said. “It had just gotten into the garage and we were able to knock that down pretty quickly.”

Hagen said the homeowner may be able to salvage belongings from the garage “but the home itself is a total loss.”

Nineteen firefighters responded, along with engines and support vehicles, with the Evergreen Fire Department providing some assistance. It took about three hours before firefighters were able to clear the scene.

Hagen said the homeowner was contacted by the neighbor and showed up just before firefighters arrived. Hagen said the man has insurance on the home.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.