Montana News

Strangers step up to fight roof fire

Posted: Mar 7, 2013 9:12 AM by Tara Grimes- MTN News
Updated: Mar 7, 2013 9:13 AM

CASCADE COUNTY - What easily could have been a story of destruction and loss, instead became an account of property and lives saved by total strangers when an off-duty sheriff's deputy and a friend went above and beyond for a family that wasn't even aware they were facing a crisis.

It happened on Saturday along Old US Highway 91 north of Cascade.

"It was a 60 degree day, a little windy, but we decided to go fishing up at Holter," Cascade County Sheriff's Deputy Jay Groskreutz said.

Groskreutz and his friend Adam Kutzler were on the way back along the Frontage Road.

"My buddy Adam's like, 'Hey look at that!' and I look over and he goes 'I don't think that's supposed to be doing that,' and the chimney box was on fire. So we turned around, pulled into the driveway and knocked on the door," he said.

"My son answered the door and he says 'Are you home alone?' and my son said, 'No.' About that time I walked around and said 'I'm here!' And he goes 'Your roof is on fire!' and I was like, 'What!?' I was amazed, I couldn't believe it," Becky Dresel said.

As Groskreutz called dispatch and Kutzler hooked up the garden hose, Dresel, her two children and three dogs hurried outside.

Once they knew Ulm and Cascade Volunteer Fire Departments were on the way, Kutzler hoisted Groskretuz up on the roof to put the fire out with a hose.

Groskreutz said, "While I'm the roof, my buddy Adam, and I didn't find this out until later, was in the garage and embers were falling down on gas cans and propone tanks that were in there and so he's getting those out of the way, in the process gets a few burns."

Soon the fire was out, and the damage was contained to the fire box.

But after having three sisters who have lost their homes in fires, Dresel knows what could have taken place in just minutes if Groskreutz and Kutzler hadn't stopped.

"(I'm) thankful, just because me and the children in the house, we had no idea," she said.

"I feel pretty good about it. I hope that somebody would do the same for my family or another family out there. You know you really don't think about that kind of stuff. It was something that needed to be done and got done," Groskreutz said.

On Tuesday, Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards released a statement which reads, in part:

Deputy Groskreutz and Kutzler went above and beyond in their actions. Their actions prevented the house from being totally engulfed. This speaks volumes for Deputy Groskreutz and Adam Kutzler‘s dedication and loyalty to the citizens of Cascade County. We are fortunate to live in a county where people are still willing to help out in times of need and emergencies.