Early morning garage fire heavily damages Teton County home
Seth Ratliff
DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) — A Teton County home was heavily damaged after a nearby garage burst into flames Friday morning. Fortunately, all the people inside and another nearby home were spared thanks to the quick efforts of a neighbor and local firefighters.
Around 2:20 AM, a neighbor spotted a structure fire near the intersection of E Johnson Ave. and 5th St. in Driggs and quickly called 911. Teton County Fire and Rescue crews rushed to the scene, arriving within 4 minutes to find the 2-car garage fully engulfed in flames.
The fire had spread to a nearby home, but fortunately, the three residents and two dogs had gotten out safely. Firefighters say the blaze had spread through the eaves of the attic, causing heavy damage to the home.
Another home, around 20 feet away, escaped with limited damage thanks to the firefighters’ work to contain the blaze. Crews were on the scene for around 4 hours as they completely extinguished the fire and checked for hot spots. TCFR credited the neighbor’s quick actions for alerting and allowing them to prevent further damage.
Fortunately, TCFR says there were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fire Sparks Warning Over Staffing Shortages and Safety
In a post on Facebook, fire crews highlighted the incident as a reminder of the importance of having working and maintained smoke detectors in your home.
“Smoke detectors increase your chance of survival by 50%. This is extremely important during nighttime hours when occupants are asleep,” states the post.
TCFR also emphasized the challenge of tackling a fire of this size with limited personnel. The National Fire Protection Association’s standard for staffing recommends a minimum of 16 firefighters. Emergency responders in Driggs are operating with only 7.
“Due to limited funding, our staff continues to perform to the best of their ability with the available, limited resources,” concludes TCFR.