Tuesday fire destroys Kootenai home, leaves family displaced

A Kootenai family was left without a home Tuesday evening after a fire destroyed a residence and drew Northside Fire District along with four neighboring agencies to the scene.

The fire was reported at 7:37 p.m., and crews from Selkirk Fire, Rescue & EMS, Sandpoint Fire Department, Sam Owen Fire Department and Timberlake Fire Protection District joined Northside Fire in the response. Firefighters did not get the blaze under control until 11:23 p.m., a span that shows how stubborn the fire was inside the structure.

No injuries were reported to civilians or fire personnel, and officials said the fire was contained to the site of origin. Even so, the home itself was destroyed, leaving the family displaced and facing the practical fallout that follows a residential fire in Kootenai County: finding a place to stay, sorting through what may be salvageable, and beginning the long process of recovery.

One crew remained on scene overnight to continue overhaul work and watch for rekindling, then the incident was moved into patrol status about 12 hours after the first call. All responding crews were released from the scene after that transition.

Northside Fire officials said the overhaul process was "far more extensive than what they normally face on a structure fire," underscoring how much work remained after the flames were knocked down. The cause had not been determined, and the incident was being investigated by the State of Idaho.

For neighbors in Kootenai, the fire is another reminder of how quickly a home emergency can turn into a community response. In a matter of hours, one residence was lost, several departments were pulled in to help, and the family at the center of the blaze was left to deal with the aftermath of a total loss.