Great Falls Fire Rescue and Malmstrom Fire Department Dispatched to Two Fires on March 22nd

On March 22nd, at 3:26 PM, Great Falls Fire Rescue (GFFR) received a dispatch concerning a residential fire at 2736 Carmel Drive. According to a press release, Engine 4 arrived on the scene to find a fire on the outside of the house extending up towards the roof. Fortunately, the occupants and their pets had evacuated the premises. GFFR crews promptly extinguished the fire, successfully preventing it from spreading into the house's interior. The northeast corner of the residence incurred significant damage, while the garage experienced minor fire-related damage. The occupants remain in the home and have not been displaced. GFFR obtained video footage from neighboring residences, which indicated that the fire originated in the vicinity of the occupants' garbage cans. The precise cause of the fire remains undetermined. As GFFR crews engaged with the fire on Carmel Drive, the battalion chief requested assistance from the Malmstrom Fire Department and the Montana Air National Guard Fire Department (MANG). Additionally, the battalion chief summoned three off-duty GFFR firefighters to return to work. According to the press release, at 4:17 PM, dispatch received a report of a fire occurring at 2208 23rd St S, Apartment 101. The occupants had just returned from grocery shopping and inadvertently placed their bags on the stove, which had been left on. Consequently, the grocery bags ignited, leading to flames spreading to the kitchen cabinets. The occupants were able to extinguish the fire and subsequently contacted emergency services. While GFFR crews were occupied with the fire on Carmel Drive, a crew from the Malmstrom Fire Department was dispatched to investigate the incident at the apartment. Once the situation at Carmel Drive was under control, the GFFR battalion chief released Engine 3 to assist the Malmstrom crew. The Malmstrom team, in conjunction with Engine 3, assessed the damage, removed the affected cabinets, and confirmed that the fire had not extended to the walls or the kitchen ventilation system. The occupants of the apartment were unharmed and have been relocated to a hotel for temporary accommodation.