House fire destroys commissioner's home

A top Hill County elected official is trying to recover from the loss of his home last week.

A house fire 28 miles northwest of Havre on Wildhorse Highway late Wednesday evening burned down the home of Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson.

The house is a total loss, Peterson said.

“I think the concrete walls are still standing,” he said.

What started the fire is unknown, Peterson said.

Wildhorse Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Ben Peterson, the commissioner’s nephew, said the call about the fire came in about 11:30 p.m., but the house was a loss by the time the fire crews arrived. His uncle had gotten out of the home, he said, but had some smoke inhalation.

Four engines responded to the call, Ben Peterson said, and crews stayed on scene until about 4 a.m., first containing the fire to the home and then addressing hot spots.

“I guess if I was to say anything,” he said, “just have people be mindful of fire escape plans.”

Right now, he added, he has a place to stay and he hasn’t had any lingering problems from the smoke inhalation. He is waiting on the insurance company before he formulates a plan and will need to wait for spring if he’s going to rebuild anyway, he added.

“I got a lot of people that called and offered, if I had any needs, to let them know,” Peterson said. “They’re very kind about that — from all over — and I’m kind of humbled.”

Peterson said he’s waiting on a lot of unknowns right now, and he’s still in a bit of shock about the loss of his home, which he’d lived in since 1981. The losses that hit the hardest are the personal ones, he added, from records and documents to pictures given to him over the years and family photos of his grandchildren.

“You know, a stove a fridge those kinds of things, they’re easily replaced, but a lot of this other stuff, you just can’t,” he said.