Wyoming town burns in subzero temps
(AP Photo/Kate
Wiltshire). This Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 photo provided by Kate Wiltshire
shows the frozen remains of building after a raging fire that swept through
Dubois, Wyo. on Tuesday night. Huge flames ripped through the historic
buildings in th...
(AP Photo/Kate
Wiltshire). In this Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014 photo provided by Kate Wiltshire,
firefighters attack a raging fire in Dubois, Wyo. Huge flames ripped through
historic buildings in the picturesque western Wyoming town as firefighters
contende...
(AP Photo/Kate
Wiltshire). This Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014 photo provided by Kate Wiltshire shows
firefighters attack a raging fire in Dubois, Wyo. Huge flames ripped through
historic buildings in the picturesque western Wyoming town as firefighters
conte...
CHEYENNE,
Wyo. (AP) - Huge flames ripped through historic buildings in the picturesque
western Wyoming town of Dubois as firefighters contended with subzero
temperatures that froze their hoses and other equipment.
Four
buildings containing more than a dozen businesses were destroyed, but Mayor
Twila Blakeman credited firefighters with keeping the flames from spreading
even further.
"It
was horrendous for them. They were, as usual, heroes," Blakeman said.
One
destroyed building contained about 10 businesses. Also burned were a fly
fishing shop and a gallery in the town of 1,000 that's tucked between the Wind
River and Absaroka mountain ranges.
Christmas
lights glowed cheerfully on businesses against a dramatic backdrop of flames
leaping dozens of feet into the sky after the fire was reported around 8:30
p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters had to contend not only with the fire's brutal heat
but nail-biting cold: Temperatures overnight got down to 25 below zero.
Residents
of the town banded together to help business owners salvage what they could
from shops in the flames' path, according to witness Kate Wiltshire, 45.
Wiltshire,
the co-owner of the Turtle Ranch outside of town, said it was amazing to watch
the town work together and the firefighters cope with the harsh conditions.
"It
was a struggle for firefighters because their equipment was freezing up,"
Wiltshire said.
Firefighters
became covered in ice as the water from their hoses froze, she said.
They
had the flames under control by 5 a.m. Wednesday. The cause remained unknown
and damage was still being assessed a
s firefighters mopped up the smoldering
ruins Wednesday, Blakeman said.
Dubois
is midway between Riverton and Jackson Hole in western Wyoming. The town is
known as a gateway to western Wyoming's scenic wildernesses including Grand
Teton and Yellowstone national parks.