2 families displaced in Boise 3-alarm fire

Residents of two houses have been displaced for at least several weeks by a three-alarm fire in West Boise, Boise Fire Captain Bryan Sorenson said late Wednesday.

The fire started in one home’s storage shed, but its cause remained undetermined Thursday morning, according to the fire department’s Twitter account.

One house had significant fire damage to two floors and the attic, while the other had fire damage primarily to the attic. Firefighters had to pull down ceiling to put out the attic fire in the second house, so it also wasn’t habitable, Sorenson said.

One resident was treated for smoke inhalation, Boise Fire Division Chief Paul Roberts said at the scene.

Dispatchers received a 911 call from resident Linda Laky at 2:19 p.m., Roberts said. Laky lives at 1936 Coolwater Ave.

Boise firefighters were joined by crews from Meridian, Eagle and the Whitney Fire District. About 30 firefighters, along with Boise Police, responded to the scene. The three-alarm fire was brought under control within a half-hour.

Laky was working in the backyard when she smelled smoke and saw the right side of her home on fire.

She ran inside to tell her husband Mike.

“Then I ran back outside and called 911,” Laky said.

The fire caused extensive damage to the Lakys’ two-story home and also burned the side of a neighboring home owned by William and Jolene Madison. The two homes, located north of West Fairview Avenue and east of North Cloverdale Road, are about 12 feet apart.

Cooper, a black-and-white Springer spaniel that belongs to the Lakys, got out safely. The couple worried about a younger, 15-month-old Springer spaniel, Bozz, that they could not locate.

“Then, just like in the movies, a firefighter came outside with Bozz in his hands,” Linda Laky said.

“They did a good job bringing in a lot of people and trucks to help us,” Linda Laky said.

Firefighters remained on the scene late Wednesday afternoon working on hot spots.

Access to the neighborhood will be limited for a while, authorities said. Firefighters expected to be on-site into the early evening.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 2:40 PM with the headline "2 families displaced in Boise 3-alarm fire."