HELENA — A massive fire erupted at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds Thursday evening. According to Fire Chief Mike Chamber, the fire broke out at 7:11 p.m. in a maintenance building that housed fairgrounds equipment.
Helena Fire Chief Mike Chambers reported there was one occupant working inside the structure about 25 minutes before the fire broke out. That individual had been gone from the building for at least 20 minutes before the fire began.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Veterans Affairs Fire Department, West Valley Fire Department, East Valley Fire Department, Montana City Fire, Helena Fire Department, Helena Police Department, and St. Pete’s Emergency crews.
Chief Chambers confirmed the fire was brought under control by approximately 10:30 p.m., although crews remain vigilant as they manage several hot spots.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
The fairgrounds released a statement on their Facebook page, clarifying: "There is a structural fire at the fairgrounds this evening. Please let the firefighters do their jobs without having to fight through pedestrians. It is one of the older structures, not the grandstands or the exhibit hall as we’ve seen reported. Thank you to all of the firefighters and emergency responders."
As of now, the cause of the fire has not been determined. MTN News will continue to follow this story and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
