Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Board Ranch fire tests emergency systems

Fatal car crash and house fire keep departments busy Friday

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By EXPRESS STAFF

Preliminary investigation indicates that a fire in a home on the Board Ranch west of Ketchum on Friday may have been caused by an electrical short in an upstairs office, the Ketchum Fire Department reported Tuesday.

No people were injured in the blaze, but a dog died of smoke inhalation.

Upon their arrival at the two-story home on Log Chain Lane at 1:55 p.m., firefighters found flames coming out of an upstairs window and heavy smoke coming from the roof. Ketchum firefighters initiated an interior fire attack and, with the assistance of the Sun Valley Fire Department and Wood River Fire & Rescue, had the fire controlled at 2:34 p.m.

The residents of the house, Jack and Jenny Mooseau, were not home at the time of the fire. However, a family dog was in the house. Firefighters found the dog in an upstairs bedroom once fire conditions allowed a search of the structure. Despite resuscitation efforts, the dog did not survive.

A total of 11 fire apparatus with 36 firefighters from the three fire departments responded to the blaze. The fire at Board Ranch was declared out by 7:11 p.m.

The Ketchum Fire Department reported that further investigation on the cause of the fire is continuing.

The incident tested the efficiencies of Blaine County's combined fire and EMS departments.

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At 12:39 p.m., just prior to the Board Ranch fire, Wood River Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a fatal three-vehicle collision south of Timmerman Hill. Mutual aid was requested from the Ketchum Fire Department, which sent two ambulances to back up the south county department.

The remaining two county ambulances, staffed by local fire/EMS personnel, were assisting St Luke's Wood River Medical Center with patient transfers. In addition, the Ketchum department received a call for a smell of natural gas at Ketchum Dry Goods on Sun Valley Road.

"It was an exceptionally busy day for most of the departments in the valley," said Ketchum Fire Chief Mike Elle. "Once again our ability to work together during emergencies is quite evident. We got the help we needed, Wood River got the help they needed and we were able to cover other calls in the valley."

Elle stressed that the exemplary response was in large part due to the many volunteer fire and EMS responders in the valley.

"I also want to thank their employers for letting them leave work to help their neighbors in need," he said.