Kitchen fire leaves Minnesota Avenue home uninhabitable

Firefighters with the Libby Volunteer Fire Department reined in an out-of-control kitchen fire in a Minnesota Avenue house on May 13 that left the home unlivable.

Tristan Nelson, who was in the house along with four others at the time, said the blaze began in the kitchen, probably as a grease fire, around 9 p.m.

Many of the fire department’s volunteers were at the Lincoln County Landfill in Libby undergoing extrication training when the call came in at 9:04 p.m. Chief Steve Lauer said crews began arriving on scene on the 400 block of Minnesota Avenue soon after.

Officials cited the quick response time for preventing the house from becoming fully engulfed.

Lauer said flames had spread from the kitchen to a nearby living room by the time firefighters arrived. Crews headed inside found combustible materials in and around the home, adding to the danger, Lauer said.

Piles of cordwood cluttered the house’s yard. Inside, firefighters found large propane tanks. Lauer said the items posed a serious threat had the fire grown larger.

The layout of the home also complicated the department’s response. Lauer said the original structure had seen multiple additions tacked on, which could have hampered occupants trying to leave the building. The layout also made it difficult for firefighters to safely navigate the house. Lauer said the home did not have smoke alarms.

Along with two engines and the department’s command center, 23 firefighters responded. Libby Volunteer Ambulance was on standby and firefighters received support from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Libby Police Department and Flathead Electric Cooperative.

To help support Thomas Glover, the homeowner, family and friends have organized a GoFundMe campaign. According to a post on the fundraising platform, the home is no longer habitable and the family plans to rebuild. Any extra funds will go towards food, clothing and other necessities.