MISSOULA — A Plains couple is counting their blessings after surviving a house fire late Sunday evening.
Gary Bruce, 74, and his wife, Ruthe Elaine Case were both hospitalized following the blaze.
Bruce was released from Clark Fork Valley Hospital after being treated for smoke inhalation, while Case is at Seattle’s Harborview Hospital being treated for smoke inhalation and second degree burns and is expecting a full recovery.
The couple heard an explosion, and when Brown went out to investigate, he saw fire under his home. He tried to put out the fire before realizing his wife was not outside. He immediately went inside and dragged her out.
The couple’s daughter, Lisa Smith says her parents are lucky to be alive.
“The fire, I mean it was so fast and it was so hot, including he had a truck parked kind of near the house where the flames didn’t actually get to the truck, but the fire was hot enough that it caught the truck on fire. They are incredibly lucky to have survived with as minimal injuries as they had.”
Lisa has set up a GoFundMe page titled Help for Gary Bruce and Ruthe Elaine Case. The couple lost everything in the blaze.
