Glasgow Duplex Fire Displaces Two Families

Another structure fire left two families without a home on Saturday, April 11. The fire spread rapidly and Marisa Collins said that, luckily on her side of the duplex at 70 Heather Lane, everyone, including the family dog, made it out okay.

Dispatch received the first call just before 3 p.m. It was a neighbor that called from a few houses down and couldn't place where the fire was exactly. Only that it was on Heather Lane. The Glasgow Fire Department was paged as a few other 911 calls came in to report the same. Dispatch reported having several 911 hangup calls, which could have been Marisa Collins' mom, Stacy Braaten. Collins said that her mom was at home watching her infant son, Keylo Collins. She was working at a vendor show, and her husband, Walker Collins, was also at work.

Marisa said that her mom saw the smoke and took their son across the street to Linda Molzahn's house. She attempted to call 911, but her cell phone wasn't working properly. At that point she ran back across the street to get the dog out of the duplex.

The other tenant of the duplex, Tana McKinney, and her fiance David Kalkreuth, were also displaced by the fire that is still under investigation. McKinney and Kalkreuth were gone for 45 minutes on an errand when they returned to find Braaten out in the driveway flagging them down. While all this was going on that original caller into dispatch reported that it was one building, but two apartments going up in smoke. Dispatch contacted NorthWestern Energy and MDU to get utilities shut off.

The fire department arrived on scene just 10 minutes after the call. At 3:24 p.m. a call for an ambulance came in as one of the volunteer firefighters, John Britzman, suffered a sprained ankle. Luckily no one was burned or severely injured during the incident. Long Run Fire Department also responded to the fire call and the department reported to dispatch as clearing the scene close to 6:20 p.m.

While it's likely not a total loss, the families will have to wait to salvage what's left until the insurance adjusters arrive at the scene. Luckily the duplex owner, Dan Carney, and the two families all had insurance. Collins said that her family is very grateful for her family and Trisha and Garrett Collins who started immediately getting together items they might need. She said Cole and Emily Redfield also helped them get out a few items, like a wedding ring, before the insurance people show up.

"I just want to give a huge thanks to all the local businesses, to our family members and the community for all your generous donations," Marisa said.

The Collins said they will wait to find out what they need when they're able to go in and salvage what's left. She said that currently they'll be in need of totes to store items and perhaps a dresser to place baby clothes in. The Collins are staying with family members now until they can find a place to stay.

McKinney and Kalkreuth have no family in the area and are currently staying at the Star Lodge Motel in Glasgow until they can find a place to stay. They have no place to store donations, but McKinney said that small donations could be left at her workplace at the Gateway in Fort Peck, or dropped off at their room number 117.

She said that Carney and his wife had been working hard to help them out. Carney said he gave each family a $200 gift card to Shopko to help get some items right away.

"People have been amazing, but it's so hard with no place to stay," McKinney said.

Glasgow Fire Chief Brandon Brunelle said the fire is under investigation.

and they didn't have a cause.