At 5:55 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, the Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department was called out for what was termed a structure fire residential outbuilding in the 3800 block of Klemme Road.  According to Fire Chief Rudy Via the he was the first to arrive at the first alarm call at 6:01 a.m. He found an eight foot by 30 foot camper fully involved with partial collapse. The first engine arrived from town at 6:08 a.m.

Two people had been asleep in the camper, when a CPAP machine quit working, alerting them to the fire. They were able to safely exit the burning camper. A Franklin County sheriff’s deputy on patrol passed by at about the same time the couple exited the camper and stayed on scene to assist.. 

Mutual aid crews from Beaufort-Leslie, Owensville, Union and Sullivan fire departments also responded to the call. Gerald police and ambulance were also on scene.

The fire was brought under control at 6:20 a.m.

A female resident was transported to Mercy Washington by Gerald ambulance with a medical emergency.

A couple of years ago, a two-story home on the same property was destroyed by fire. A new home is under construction on the site about 20 feet from where the camper was situated. There was no damage to the structure under construction, but the ccamper was a total loss.

According to Via, a preliminary finding shows the fire was electrical in nature, probably starting between the power pole and the camper. Investigation into the origins of the fire is ongoing.