Bottle Rocket Starts Dwelling Fire Four Families Left Homeless By Blaze Sparked By Fireworks

Four families were left homeless after a fire gutted their apartments Monday.

Two children accidently started the fire when they were playing with bottle rockets near the complex, fire officials said.

Mark Adams, 14, and his friend Marcus Harding, 12, accidentally started the afternoon fire. Among the homeless are Adams and his mother.

“My mom said she didn’t know where we’re going to live and how we probably lost everything. She was just mad,” Adams said as he stood outside of the s Adams and Harding said they were playing with bottle rockets behind Adams’ apartment complex around 1 p.m. A rocket landed on the roof. About 15 minutes later, an abandoned mattress out back caught fire and the apartment was in flames, Adams said.

About 25 firefighters and seven engines from Worley and Plummer fire districts responded to the blaze, said Worley Assistant Fire Chief Dan Sneve.

“When we got here 3-1/2 (of the five apartments) were fully involved,” Sneve said. No one was injured.

The apartments - part of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Housing on Mitch Michaels Drive - share a common attic. Once the fire started in there, that created “a tunnel effect,” Sneve said. One apartment had no smoke or water damage.

William Fish wasn’t as fortunate.

The 42-year-old highway flagger had lived in his two-bedroom apartment for 10 years. The fire destroyed everything he owned.

“I just can’t believe it,” Fish said. “I’ve lost everything.”

Fish was watching television when he heard yelling outside. Suddenly he heard the crackling sounds of fire from his open back window. When he looked outside, he saw flames coming from next door.

He left his apartment, unable to save his pictures and heirlooms.

All he had left was, “just what I got on,” Fish said.

Friends and tribal members have contacted the American Red Cross and are searching for homes where families can stay.

The fire is not being investigated as an arson, Sneve said.

As for Adams, his mother told him the fun was off the rest of the summer.

“All I know is I can’t go on my trip to Buffalo, New York, to see my auntie,” he said.