Officer Saves Jackson Family From Burning Home

Wood stoves and fireplaces create frequent smoke plumes in Jackson, but a police officer recognized a difference on Flat Creek Drive this week. Jackson Police Officer Liam Fowler pulled over Thursday morning after spotting unusual smoke rising from the home of Jim and Ruth Rooks.

Fowler arrived at the door as the couple was still in their pajamas. Rooks described the arrival as sudden and super loud knocking. The officer could tell something was off, even though the interior of the house appeared normal. Rooks stated there was no visible smoke inside at that moment, and the family had no idea a fire was burning nearby.

Outside, flames were already racing up the deck and the side of the structure. Fowler notified Teton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 9:10 a.m. and immediately evacuated the occupants. The Rookses scrambled outside with Luna, their seven-year-old Labrador retriever. Rooks recalled sitting in the middle of the street in his underwear because there was no time to grab clothing. Fowler placed the couple in the back of his cruiser under blankets he found on the scene.

Deputy Chief Brian Coe of Jackson Hole Fire/EMS said Fowler attempted to fight the fire with an extinguisher before additional police officers arrived two minutes later. The first fire engine reached the location five minutes after the initial report. By then, flames had climbed to the attic. Firefighters used an aerial ladder truck to ventilate the roof, which helped slow the spread. Twenty-five personnel responded, including three engines, two ambulances, and a drone. No one was injured.

Rooks noted that half the house is completely torched. He estimated that a five-minute delay could have engulfed the entire home and potentially spread to neighboring properties. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Coe credited the officer’s quick actions for resulting in a best-case scenario with no injuries to civilians or responders.

The family faces a long recovery period. Rooks expects they will be displaced for a year or longer. The twenty-one-year-old home was built by the family starting around 2005, with help from friends and relatives. Rooks, a former Jackson Town Council member, described the house as a labor of love. He recalled pouring thirty yards of concrete in temperatures twenty degrees below zero.

Despite the destruction, all living things survived. Two tropical fish belonging to the Rooks' daughter were left in their bedroom during the blaze. After the fire was extinguished, Rooks retrieved the fish, named Rosie and Azul, from a soot-covered tank. He said he could not believe they were still swimming. Neighbors and strangers offered food, clothing, and housing. Rooks plans to write a letter thanking the community for its support, noting that the event proved the local community remains strong.