Hartley home significantly damaged in fire

A Hartley family is picking up the pieces after a fire significantly damaged their home early Sunday morning.

Hartley Fire Chief Brad Meedering said the department was called to Mike and Christina Larson’s residence on Highway 18 at around 2:20 a.m. Upon arrival, responders could see flames around the chimney and east area of the residence.

Firefighters engaged in an exterior attack and then moved inside. Several walls were damaged in the fight, and the home sustained significant water and smoke damage.

Meendering suspected the fire started in the chimney due to a possible build up of creosote. The investigation is ongoing. The Larsons were asleep at the time of the fire and were made aware of the blaze by their smoke detectors.

No injuries were reported. The Hartley Fire Department was assisted by crews from Sanborn and Sheldon. Personnel were on scene for around four hours.

The Hartley blaze was the third house fire to ignite in the area in a week. A house northeast of Sanborn was seriously damaged on Jan. 16, and on Jan. 19, two people died in Orange City due to injuries sustained during a fire at their residence.

Meendering urged people to remember fire safety during the winter: Regularly check batteries in smoke detectors, limit the use of space heaters, clean chimneys and fireplaces, and conduct regular maintenance on furnaces.

“Little things like that can go a long way,” he said.