Missoula Fire Department warns against combustibles on stove tops after apartment fire Wednesday

MISSOULA, Mont. - Missoula police officers were treated for smoke inhalation after responding to an apartment fire on Trail St.

The City of Missoula Fire Department was called out to the fire just before 3:00 pm Wednesday.

Law enforcement was able to get an immobile patient out of the unit before fire crews arrived, and the occupant along with their pets were safely evacuated along with the occupant of the apartment above the fire.

On scene, crews found the fire was contained to the kitchen area and were able to quickly extinguish it with minimal water.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, however, the Missoula Fire Department reports Fire Prevention Bureau Inspector Jamie Porter has indicated that it appears to be accidental.

“Never place combustibles on top of a stove top. Every year many accidental fires occur under circumstances where the occupant believed the stove was either off or cooled enough to place combustible items,” the fire department warned.