Disabled veteran loses home in deadly Black Eagle fire

A disabled veteran lost his home in a fire off of Bootlegger Trail just north of Great Falls on May 14, 2026, and the community is rallying to help him.

The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there was a death in the fire; the agency has not yet released the name of the person. More information will be released after autopsy results are available.

Justin Robicheau reports – watch the video here:

Disabled veteran loses home in deadly Black Eagle fire; community rallies to help

The Black Eagle Volunteer Fire Department said crews from several departments and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office arrived at 89 Brandy Wine Lane just before 10 a.m. to find the house engulfed in flames and the roof already caved in.

Chuck Hjortness said he had left to go shopping when the fire broke out.

“I said, ‘Is that my house fire? He said, ’89 Brandy Wine, yes.’ I said, ‘Can I get… let me go across the street to my neighbor from parked in the driveway,” Hjortness said.

Firefighter/EMT Johnathan Pfeiffer of the Black Eagle Volunteer Fire Department was on the scene and said it was hard to watch a fellow veteran go through the loss.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking to see this level of destruction, especially with his age, the property loss – that’s very impactful. It’s horrible to see,” Pfeiffer said.

Next-door neighbor Connie O’Loughlin said the fire has been a devastating blow for a man she described as friendly and familiar to the neighborhood.

“He used to go out to his garage and sit out in the garage and use the computer or watch television and just watch people go by wave and people going by on the on the road…very friendly,” O’Loughlin said.

O’Loughlin said that kindness has been returned, as neighbors have come together to support Hjortness.

“This is a wonderful group of people out here that have already, you know, start to rally and worried about Chuck and what they’re going to do to help. So I just really can’t, you know, love the people that are out here and how caring they are,” O’Loughlin said.

“People have been so helpful all the time. Everybody, you know, people periodically, even the lady that said I could stay at the motel,” Hjortness said.

Hjortness is currently staying at the Alberta Motel.

If you would like to help Chuck, call Nikki Jones 406-403-4903 or Joshua Gess 406-402-3089.