PIERRE, (KCCR) — Last weekend the Pierre Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire on East Irwin Avenue. Firefighters responded on the morning of December 28th around 10:30 am to the 28-hundred block of East Irwin. Arriving firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames coming from the structure. Pierre Fire Captain Nathan Dryden says crew started a defensive attack on the fire, fighting the blaze from outside the home due to the intensity of the fire at the time. Once crews got a handle on the fire an interior attack on the fire allowed firefighters to suppress the blaze and it any lingering hotspots. Three residents were treated for smoke inhalation, but no serious injuries to humans were reported. However, the fire did kill two dogs and a cat in the residence. The home is considered a total loss and the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, originating from an addition to the home. Crews were on scene about two-and-a-half hours and were aided by A-M-R Ambulance and local law enforcement.
