BILLINGS- That sigh of relief as temperatures warm is getting cut short for Billings fire crews and some residents, as busted pipes wreak havoc inside homes and businesses.
Billings fire officials are warning the public to only use approved heating devices to keep pipes from freezing, and make sure home smoke alarms are working.
Batallion Chief Kevin Johnson told Q2 News Tuesday the choice to use an inappropriate device to keep pipes warm, sparked a fire under a home on Smokey Lane just off Rimrock Road Tuesday morning.
Johnson said the flames burned hot enough to then melt the pipe, which in turn doused most of the fire, but not before leaving a complete mess. Johnson says fire crews had to extinguish remaining flames in the home and shut down the water main at the curb.
And a frozen sprinkler head brought an end to dance classes at Movement Montana Arts Academy, located at 925 Broadwater Ave., Tuesday afternoon.
In a video sent to Q2 from the dance studio, water is pouring from the ceiling in the entryway of the business and then covers the floor. Classes cannot resume until it’s all cleaned up and the fire system is repaired.
Johnson said this is happening all across Billings, and he expects much more over the next few days.
Reporting by Jeanelle Slade for MTN News
