Woman, 3 police officers rushed to hospital following house fire

IDAHO FALLS — A woman and three police officers were taken to the hospital late Thursday night following a house fire.

The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a house on the 2000 block of Greentree Lane around 10:30 p.m. after the homeowner called 911 and reported an elderly woman was trapped inside the burning home, according to an IFFD news release.

The man said a smoke alarm alerted him to the flames in a basement bedroom. The man told officials he tried to put the flames out, but the fire spread too quickly, leaving the house filled with heavy smoke.

A man and woman both tried to get the elderly woman out of the house, but the smoke made it too difficult, forcing them outside.

The Idaho Falls Police Department rushed to the scene and three officers tried to go inside the home to rescue the trapped woman. According to the fire department, all officers were overcome by smoke and had to leave the home.

When firefighters arrived, they found the home with a fire in the basement moving up the stairs. Crews went into the burning home and found the elderly disabled woman. An ambulance took her to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in stable condition.

Three police officers who went into the home were taken to EIRMC. They were all treated and released.

Two dogs inside the home were also pulled from the fire. First responders tried to perform CPR and give oxygen to one of the dogs, but they both died.

Firefighters had the fire out around 10:45 p..m. and kept most of the damage to the basement and stairway. Smoke damage went throughout the house. An estimate of damages is not yet known.

Three ambulances, three engines, the ladder truck, a battalion chief and deputy chief responded to the fire. Idaho Falls Power and Intermountain Gas arrived to shut off utilities.

The IFFD Fire Prevention and Investigation team continues to investigate what caused the fire.