Fire destroys Wilson area home

Fire destroyed a home in the Highland Estates subdivision, about 9 miles south of Wilson early Tuesday. Jackson Hole Fire/EMS said the home, owned by David Titcomb and Susan Gilbert, was not occupied at the time of the fire. A neighbor saw the flames through the nearby forest at around 1:30 a.m. Incident Command Mike Moyer said private snowplowing crews helped clear the roads and driveway to the house through 6 to 8 inches of heavy snow. Fire Marshal Kathy Clay said the cause of the fire is undetermined, but called the structure a total loss. She said it appeared the fire had been burning for awhile before firefighters arrived at the scene. She also advised people to be sure to have working smoke alarms in all bedrooms and make sure all occupants know two ways out of their home. She encouraged people to close the door on fire. “Closing the door on a fire buys valuable time for escape and for fire crews to catch a fire before it gets developed,” said Clay. With winter conditions, time becomes a significant factor for emergency response.