Update on the 7-28-2017 Sturgis Rd Fire

Black Hawk, S.D. - At 4:56 this morning, Pennington County 9-1-1 dispatched multiple fire agencies to a confirmed structure fire at 4640 Sturgis Road. Responding units reported seeing flames visible from several miles away.

On arrival, units found a mobile home fully involved in fire. The fire was threatening an adjacent mobile home and flames were directly impinging on grass and trees nearby. Bystanders reported that there were potentially several individuals still inside the occupancy. Firefighters made multiple attempts to enter the structure and affect a rescue. Because of the heavy fire conditions, firefighters were unable to make entry into the structure.

An adjacent mobile home sustained damage to its exterior as a result of radiant heat emitted from the structure of origin. In addition, a small grass fire was ignited as a result of the structure fire. The grass fire was quickly knocked down. The grass fire did not result in damage to structures.

Two occupants of the residence were able to exit the structure on their own prior to the arrival of firefighters. Those occupants sustained minor injuries and were evaluated by Emergency Medical Services on scene.

After speaking with witnesses on scene, law enforcement and fire service personnel were working with information that there were three (3) individuals who were unaccounted for. As of 3:00 pm MDT, investigators have recovered the bodies of three (3) deceased individuals. Two of the bodies appear to be adults. Their gender, age, and relationship to each other and the other occupants in the home is not known at this time. The approximate age of the third individual was not available as of the time of this release. Investigators are working to determine that information.

The incident is currently under investigation. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the fatalities with assistance from the Rapid City Police Department. The South Dakota State Fire Marshalls Office is investigating the origin and cause of the fire.

Multiple agencies from Pennington County and Meade County responded to the fire. Firefighters from Black Hawk, Piedmont Fire Department and Piedmont Ambulance, North Haines, Rapid City, Rapid Valley, Whispering Pines, Box Elder, Rockerville, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Sturgis and Pennington County Fire Administration all responded to the fire. The American Red Cross serving Central and Western South Dakota, Montana Dakota Utilities, Black Hills Energy, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Meade County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota State Fire Marshalls Office also responded to the fire.

Updates related to the investigation of the fatalities as a result of this fire will be provided by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office when appropriate. Updates related to the investigation of the origin and cause of the fire will be released by the South Dakota State Fire Marshalls Office.

For questions related to this release, please contact Capt. Corey Brubakken of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605)-394-6115 or Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer, at (605)-394-4180.

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