Family safe but fire destroys Alberta home

Members of the Kenneth Tracy family and a family friend escaped an early morning fire in Alberta Tuesday, but the house is expected to be declared a complete loss.

Morris Fire Chief Doug Storck said a call came in after 2 a.m. for a fire at the home in Alberta.

Firefighters from Chokio, Donnelly and Morris fought the blaze for about 3-1/2 hours.

The fire possibly started in a light fixture in an upstairs bathroom. An investigator from the Minnesota Fire Marshal's office was visiting the scene Tuesday afternoon, Storck said.

The family was alerted to the fire by a smoke detector, Storck said.

The Tracys' young son and a family friend were sleeping in the home's upstairs but were able to get out of the house.

Firefighters were also able to rescue the family dog from the basement, Storck said.

"I'm pretty sure that if the smoke alarm wasn't working, it would have been a different story," Storck said. "The smoke alarm saved their lives."

Storck said he believes that water and roof damage make the house a total loss.

"With the water, smoke and fire, they basically lost most of their belongings," he said.