Rural homeowner uses tractor to tow fire engine uphill to fight fire

SWAN VALLEY — Rural firefighters had to get creative while fighting a house fire in a remote area Saturday night.

Swan Valley Fire Department spokeswoman Kat Brainard said the call came in around 9:15 p.m. at 224 Pine Creek Bench Road. A witness had spotted a chimney fire at the home that was spreading to other areas of the residence.

The problem was that the home was located at the end of a steep, narrow one-mile driveway. Brainard said firefighters quickly realized their fire engine would not be able to get to the home due to the nature of the driveway.

Firefighters and members of the community were in the process of moving things away from the blaze, when the homeowner arrived with a tractor to tow the fire engine from the bottom of the driveway to the home.

“We don’t always have what we need to get to a scene,” Brainard said. “So we have to work with what there is.”

The tractor turned out to be remarkably successful. It hauled the engine from a water tender at the base of the driveway to the home multiple times during the night. Eventually, someone brought a road grader and widened the driveway enough to allow for better access.

Brainard says there was tons of community support while fighting the fire. Neighbors came out to help, the owner of Huck’s Rainey Creek Country Store even brought all the firefighters coffee in the middle of the night.

Central Fire Department, Ucon Fire Department, Idaho Falls Fire Department Ambulance and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the fire to help out.

Firefighters had knocked down the flames by Sunday morning, but were still watching the property for flare ups at 10 a.m. About 40 percent of the home is still standing, Brainard said.

There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

“We appreciate the community and how quick people came to help on a Saturday night,” Brainard said. “It’s always really nice to see everyone come together.