Fire ravages home near Kila
<p><strong>SMITH VALLEY Firefighters prepare</strong> to spray a burning house at 970 Spring Hill Road near Kila on Wednesday. No one was injured in the fire, but the home was destroyed. (Aaric Bryan photos/Daily Inter Lake)</p><div> </div>
A midafternoon fire destroyed a Smith Lake-area home on Wednesday, the second fire at the house in just over a month.
The house at 970 Spring Hill Road is a complete loss.
It was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters from several fire departments arrived at the home about 2 1/2 miles from Smith Lake.
Don Hamilton, the owner of the house, said he purchased it in September 2014. On Dec. 20 a fire that was determined to be arson damaged the house, he said.
With the relatively nice January weather, Hamilton said Wednesday he decided to do some housework. When he turned on the power, he heard a “pop” and started smelling smoke.
Hamilton grabbed his dog, an old Australian shepherd and Rottweiler mix named Maggie May, and drove his car to the bottom of the hill to get better cellphone service.
He called 911 and by the time he returned to his home, it was fully on fire.
A Flathead County sheriff’s deputy was called to the scene to investigate the fire.