MISSOULA — The cause of a Monday two-alarm fire at a Missoula apartment complex remains under investigation.
The Missoula Fire Department was called to a report of a structure shortly after 10:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Yreka Court.
Acting Battalion Chief Ken Goodian reports crews arrived to find heavy smoke and a second alarm was called to bring additional firefighters to the scene.
Crews worked for approximately 60 minutes to bring the fire — which was in University of Montana housing — under control.
The apartment where the fire began was extensively damaged and the other five units in the complex were affected by smoke and fire damage resulting in several tenants being displaced.
UM spokesman Dave Kuntz tells MTN News all of the residents have been moved to a local hotel which UM is paying for.
Kuntz added that the hope is to have the residents moved back into permanent housing within a few days — most likely in the same complex.
UM is still assessing the damage to the apartments with Kuntz stating that if some of the units are safe to live in, the residents will have the choice of moving back into their same unit, or staying in the one they are moved to.
The resident of the burned home is a UM student and mother of two boys and two dogs.
One of the dogs died in the fire, but she was able to rescue the other. It ran away during the commotion and is still missing. The dog, Bella, is a pitbull-heeler mix.
If you have any information on the missing pup, you can reach out to us and we'll connect you to its owner.
The resident of the burned home who lost all her belongings has started a GoFundMe to ask for community support.
Goodian says a firefighter was taken to an area hospital, checked out, and then released.
- information from Claire Peterson included in this report.
