Fire and ice: Crews battle cold along with apartment fire
Firefighters faced cold temperatures that caused their equipment to ice up as they battled a fire in a four-unit apartment building in the southwestern Montana town of Ennis
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Firefighters faced subfreezing temperatures that caused their equipment to ice up Wednesday morning as they battled a fire at a four-unit apartment building in the southwestern Montana town of Ennis.
“Everything was freezing up,” including nozzles and breathing equipment, said Joe Brummell, director of Disaster and Emergency Services for Madison County.
The fire was reported at about 5:45 a.m. by a resident of one of the apartments, he said.
By the time the fire was out at about 8 a.m., three of the four apartments were a total loss, Brummell said. Three people were displaced, but no one was injured, he said.
The Madisonian newspaper captured an image of firefighter Pat Noack with his helmet, beard and his gear covered in ice.
The temperature was zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 Celsius) in Ennis on Wednesday morning, Brummell said, with winds blowing 5 to 10 mph (8-16 kph), causing subzero wind chill factors.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is believed to have started in the attic of one of the apartments, Brummell said.
Ennis, a community of 850 people, is a popular fly-fishing destination about 50 miles southwest of Bozeman.