Family of Eight Displaced After Late Afternoon Fire

Five children safely escape fire

Rapid City, S.D. – Five children between the ages of 13 and 3 escaped a late afternoon fire that caused serious damage to their home off of Sheridan Lake Road. At 4:30 pm, crews from Stations 1, 3, 5, and 6 of the Rapid City Fire Department responded to 2617 Castle Heights Place for a report of a structure fire. When crews arrived, they found heavy fire in a garage that was situated below a single family residential structure. Crews were able to quickly knock down the fire in the garage. When firefighters entered the living area of the structure, they found that fire had extended into that portion of the home. It took firefighters about 2 hours to completely extinguish the fire, mop up hot spots and complete salvage operations. 

Firefighters were faced with poor road conditions, bitter cold temperatures and near blizzard conditions while fighting the fire. These conditions created a number of different challenges.

Five children between the ages of 13 and 3 where home at the time of the fire. The children noted the smoke and began to quickly evacuate the structure. When they realized that their primary way out of the structure was blocked by thick smoke, they utilized their secondary exit to evacuate the structure. The children- some of whom did not have shoes on when they evacuated- ran through the near blizzard conditions to the safety of a neighbor’s home which they had identified as a meeting place. The neighbor assisted the children with calling for help and remained a place of refuge until the arrival of the American Red Cross serving Central and Western South Dakota. The children reported that they learned how to quickly and safely evacuate their home while at school.

In total, eight occupants have been displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the American Red Cross serving Central and Western South Dakota. There were no reported injuries to firefighters or civilians.

The Rapid City Fire Department was assisted by the Rapid City Police Department, Whispering Pines Fire Department, as well as the Pennington County Fire Administrator. Montana Dakota Utilities and Black Hills Energy also responded to the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Rapid City Fire Department.

The Rapid City Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to urge families to develop and practice a home fire escape plan. As was demonstrated today, having a plan that is known and practiced by every member of the family could save your life or the lives of your family members. Learn more by visiting our website at http://bit.ly/2EPH9El.

For questions or comment related to this release, please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at 605-394-4180.

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