North Rapid blaze consumes home, sends smoke billowing into the sky

Dace Liepins's home was destroyed, and her cats are missing

By Journal staff | Thursday, January 08, 2009

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A woman is homeless and her pets are missing after a fire destroyed a North Rapid home Thursday morning.

Dace Liepins learned that her home at 728 Haines Ave. was on fire by checking the Internet at work, according to a news release from the Black Hills Chapter of the American Red Cross. Nothing in the home was salvaged.

Liepins told Red Cross officials that she is very grateful to those who came to her aid.

"The fire department was excellent, kind and supportive," she said. Capt. Tim Behlings was very helpful, and the Red Cross."

Heavy smoke billowed from the home's second floor, and flames shot from a first floor window when firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after 11 a.m.

Rapid City Department of Fire & Emergency Services received the fire call at 11:01 a.m., according to Capt. Mark Kirchgesler.

Kirchgesler said firefighters initially entered the house to fight the first floor fire but were withdrawn for their own safety because of heavy fire on the second floor.

Fire crews continued battling the fire from the exterior, breaking windows and cutting holes in the roof and walls to vent smoke from the house and reach active fires.

Liepins' next-door neighbors, Irv and Carol Field, watched the firefighting efforts with great interest.

The Fields' home stands about 12 feet north of Liepins' house.

"I suppose I'll have some smoke," Irv Field said. Field was working at another property when the fire broke out. A call from his wife, who was at work, alerted him to the fire. He hurried home and moved the couple's two dogs to the safety of his pickup.

A former firefighter himself, Field carefully watched the plumes of smoke climbing skyward.

"As long as they keep going up, I'm not concerned," he said.

Built in 1954, Liepins' home had a barn-like, hipped roof. Stucco covered wood siding on the first floor.

Because of the age and design of the home, as well as the type of materials used in the construction, dozens of hidden fires burned within the structure.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 2 p.m., according to Kirchgesler.

City building officials immediately condemned the home because of the extensive damage and the safety risk it posed. The house was demolished Thursday afternoon.

Kirchgesler said it is unlikely that the fire's cause will be determined. It was too dangerous to send investigators into the structure to search for a cause, he said.

Liepins, whose four cats are missing, is staying with a friend, according to Betsy Mergenthal of the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross is assisting Liepins with food and clothing. A fire fund is being established at US Bank for Liepins.

The Red Cross also served water and snacks to firefighters, Mergenthal said.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com