Condominium fire destroys 26 homes in Ketchum. Residents escape unharmed
A major structure fire on Saturday night at the Limelight condominiums in Ketchum destroyed 26 units in the two-story building, the city of Ketchum reported Sunday.
The fire broke out at approximately 6:30 p.m. in the upper “A” building of the condominium complex at 2107 Warm Springs Road, between central Ketchum and the Warm Springs base of Bald Mountain. Firefighters searched for people inside the building before attacking the fire, the city stated in a news release.
There were no human casualties, the city reported, though one man — an apparent bystander — was transported from the scene to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center during suppression efforts, according to Blaine County Emergency Communications traffic monitored by the Express. Some pets were reportedly lost in the blaze.
The Ketchum Fire Department received the call at 6:36 p.m. and firefighters were at the scene within four minutes, the city stated. The Sun Valley, Wood River and Hailey fire departments also responded to the call.
The fast-moving fire tore through the eastern half of the building first, witnesses said. Soon after, flames shot through windows and above the tree line, sending black smoke onto the flanks of Bald Mountain. Crews fought the fire and worked to keep it from spreading to other buildings for several hours, finally containing it around 4 a.m., the city stated. Firefighters continued to work to extinguish hot spots on Sunday morning.
“I am thankful to all the crews that responded valley-wide,” Ketchum Fire Chief Bill McLaughlin said. “This type of collaboration is critical when fighting a fire of this magnitude.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the city stated. City officials said it is suspected that the fire was caused by a grill propane tank but it has not been confirmed. A state fire marshal inspector will go to the scene to investigate and make a final determination.
This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 1:29 PM.