Blackfoot firefighters, aided by off-duty/volunteer crews, tackle structure fire in 30 minutes

Over the weekend, a small crew of Blackfoot firefighters, with the help of volunteers and off-duty personnel, tackled a dangerous structure fire in under 30 minutes despite minimal staffing.

The emergency began on Saturday afternoon, October 25. A Blackfoot Fire Department Ambulance was heading to Blackfoot from Rockford on Highway 39 to provide coverage, as multiple other ambulances were out on calls. While driving, the crew suddenly spotted a column of smoke and flames coming from a shop building near the highway. They immediately radioed the alarm to Station 1, quickly geared up, and began an initial walkaround of the burning structure.