Great Falls Fire Rescue responded to an early morning house fire at 1525 Sunnyside Avenue in Great Falls on July 15th. At 6:54 a.m., they were dispatched to reports of a structure fire at the address. Numerous 911 calls alerted them to the situation, and one of the final callers confirmed that all occupants had safely evacuated the home before firefighters arrived.
Due to the incident occurring during a shift change, Great Falls Fire Rescue deployed personnel from both the oncoming and off-going teams. Engine 1 arrived on the scene at 7:01 a.m. and found the attached garage fully engulfed in flames, with the fire extending into the residence.
Given the intensity of the fire upon arrival, a second alarm was quickly requested to keep off-going personnel on duty to assist with fire suppression operations. The firefighting effort was labor-intensive and required a considerable amount of overhaul after the main body of the fire had been extinguished. Firefighters worked diligently to locate and extinguish any hidden fire to prevent it from spreading further within the structure or to neighboring homes. The fire was brought under control in just under one hour. Unfortunately, the home sustained significant damage and was deemed uninhabitable.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but miraculously, there were no injuries to residents or firefighters. The occupants reported that a dog and a cat were inside the home at the time of the fire. The dog managed to escape safely; however, the cat, named Whisper, remains unaccounted for. She is a fat orange and white cat with distinctive white markings on her nose.
Whisper was seen at the Mountain View Apartments on Thursday, July 16th. With everything the family has lost due to the fire, they are hoping to be reunited with her soon. If you have seen Whisper, please call 406-799-0336.
By Karen Aderson: July 17, 2026 – Great Falls, Mt
