Heat lamp fire causes $580,000 in damages to home and shed

UPDATE

SALEM — Damages are estimated at $580,000 after a heat lamp fire caused severe damage to a home and shed in Salem Monday morning.

According to a news release from the Madison Fire Department, firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire located at 197 East 3500 North. The homeowner called had 911, and the house was safely evacuated.

When crews arrived, firefighters found a shed used as a chicken coop and the back of the house fully engulfed in flames.

A heater that was in use and inside the shed caused the fire, which then spread from the shed to the back of the house and then into the attic. Most of the contents in the home were saved, but 75% of the roof caved in and there’s extensive water and smoke damage inside, the news release said.

“It’s unfortunate this fire was caused by a heat lamp,” said Corey Child, Chief of Madison Fire
Department in the news release. “But we’re grateful no one was injured and that most of the contents of the home were saved. This fire serves as a good reminder year-round to check heating sources used for animals to ensure that all heat sources are safe and secured well.”

There were no reported injuries to firefighters. There were chickens in the chicken coop, and most of them were rescued, officials told EastIdahoNews.com.


Deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

ORIGINAL STORY

SALEM — Firefighters with the Madison Fire Department in Rexburg are actively fighting a fire in the Salem area.

According to Madison Fire Deputy Chief Troyce Miskin, the call came in around 11:50 a.m. Monday.

“An outbuilding caught on fire. The outbuilding was close to the residence and the residence also caught on fire,” Miskin said.

The location of the fire is east of the Salem LDS church, close to the North Rexburg Exit, he said.

No other information is available at this time.

A picture given to EastIdahoNews.com shows a large plume of smoke at the home. Roads appeared to be blocked off near the home.

EastIdahoNews.com will update this article as more details become available.