Debris from a home fire in Ypsilanti on Tuesday, February 15th. Photo: Lynn Lambrecht

YPSILANTI, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – In less than 24 hours, the small community of Ypsilanti has rallied for a couple who lost their home to a fire.

Luke Brady and Christy Mickelson were not home when the fire occurred, but lost their cats and the entire house to the fire. Jamestown Rural Firefighters battled the blaze for more than 6 hours on Tuesday, February 15th.

However, the couple was not displaced for long.

“We got them a bed, blankets, food, and everything they needed,” one resident said who wished to remain anonymous. “A vacant house was provided for them and filled with necessities for them to reside in for the time being while they deal with this tragedy.”

Crews spent most of their time protecting nearby houses from the fire, with one house sustaining damage to siding from the heat. One person was transported to the Jamestown Regional Medical Center with smoke inhalation when he attempted to enter the home to save the animals.

A benefit for the couple is being planned in March.

The state fire marshal is inspecting the site today and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.