Great Falls Fire Rescue Contain Massive Fire, Save Neighboring Home

Great Falls Fire Rescue shared information about the fire that took place near 8th Avenue South and 11th Street yesterday.

In the initial story I shared with you, an eyewitness shared they heard a loud "eruption" before the structure fire began. Now, we have more details surrounding the fire that took place on Wednesday around 4:30 in the morning.

Great Falls Fire Wednesday Morning Details

We already know about the initial "eruption" and what the flames looked but the work that Great Falls Fire Rescue put in is an entire story by itself.

Upon arriving to the structure fire at 1115 8th Avenue South at 4:46 AM, the firefighters found the home and the detached garage completely ablaze. It was so bad that the home next door was at risk of catching fire.

Our heroes acted swiftly, coordinated "defensive firefighting operations," and requested backup immediately.

According to Great Falls Fire Rescue, "Defensive operations are used when conditions are too dangerous for firefighters to safely enter a structure, requiring crews to attack the fire from the exterior."

ALSO SEE: Morning Fire Eyewitness Reports "Eruption" Before Structure Fire [VIDEO]

The firefighters were able to protect the neighboring home from structural damage and did their best to contain the fire as the structure began to collapse.

"Following the collapse, GFFR requested assistance from the City of Great Falls Utilities Division," Great Falls Fire Rescue said, "Using heavy equipment, Utilities personnel safely removed large sections of debris, allowing firefighters to access concealed hot spots and complete extinguishment operations much more efficiently."

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Thankfully, there were no humans and animals inside with no injuries or deaths reported. Unfortunately, firefighters say the structure is a "total loss."

What Started The Fire?

As it currently stands, officials say the fire is still under investigation but they don't believe the fire is "criminal in nature." They did share they learned the owner of the home had passed away "several weeks ago" and many believed the building to be vacant.