UPDATE: 9:45 a.m. - 2.25.20
WHITEFISH - A Whitefish home is a total loss after a fire over the weekend.
Whitefish Fire Chief Joe Page says the house on West Third Street was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived Saturday evening.
Page says a neighbor had knocked on the door to get those still in the home out safely.
While the cause is still being investigated, officials believe the fire started from the back patio.
"Right now we’re looking at possible smoking out on the rear deck but that has not been confirmed," Page told MTN News.
Fire officials say it's unknown at this time if the occupant had working smoke detectors in their home.
Multiple fire agencies assisted Whitefish with the blaze, including Columbia Falls, Big Mountain, and Evergreen.
(first report: 8:24 p.m. - 2.22.20)
Whitefish Fire Department responded to a structure fire Saturday afternoon in Whitefish.
The WFD posted on Facebook that they received mutual aid from Columbia Falls Fire Department, Big Mountain Fire & Rescue, Evergreen Fire Rescue, MT.
The quick response and help from other departments allowed the fire to not spread to other houses nearby.
MTN News will update this story as we receive more information.
