Blaine County Journal Employee Escapes Fire

Saturday night at 9:49, Fire Chief Kraig Hansen received a page that a house was on fire in the 900 block of Ohio Street. When fire crews arrived, they went to work to extinguish the blaze. The Chinook Police and the Blaine County Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene. Although the fire was put out before midnight, Kody Farmer, who was in the house at the time of the fire, sustained injury and was transported to the hospital.

"The cause of the fire is still under investigation," Kraig Hansen, the Chinook Volunteer Fire Department Chief said. "The Fire Marshall was here early Sunday and collected what he needed and will follow-up with a report about the fire's cause."

According to Hansen, the fire started in the back end of the house. The one occupant was able to get out, but the back half of the structure was completely burned and the front half received heat, smoke, and water damage.

Because Farmer received some first degree burns and endured considerable smoke inhalation and extreme heat, medical professionals at Northern Montana Hospital advised that Farmer be transferred to a burn center in Utah so that his lung function could be verified.

While Farmer is regaining his health, the Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion will be short staffed, according to owners of the newspaper Keith and Keri Hanson. Farmer is a key figure at the newspaper, providing services in Graphic/Print Design, Layout, and Reporting. His daughter MaKhalya, who compiles graphics, ads, and classifieds, as well as working the front desk, traveled to Salt Lake City to be with her father.

"The absence of these staff members will certainly be felt. Although we will still have a paper every week, it will be missing some stories this first week. We have called Alan Sorenson, who used to write for us, about whether he would be able to help us out with sports. So, while we go through this transition, we are asking for the community's understanding and patience. We'll do the best job we can," Keri Hanson said.

Editors Note: As of press time we have received notice that Kody is off of the ventilator and currently on oxygen and doing very well and expected to make a full recovery.