A Buffalo-area family lost their home in a fire Thursday, and a son was hospitalized for smoke inhalation after reportedly trying to save a dog.

Adrian and Kathy Keeler were headed to a Billings, Montana, hospital Friday where the middle of their three sons, Garrett, spent the night after a fire broke out in their house about 3 p.m. on Thursday. 

Adrian Keeler said his son was stable and set to be released.

“He’s in good condition and we’re heading there,” Adrian Keeler told Cowboy State Daily. “He had carbon monoxide, but his tests as of 3 a.m. this morning were good.”

Keeler said he did not have time to speak more about the incident.

Kathy Keeler provided an update later Friday on social media that her son had spent three hours in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and slept well. The family was expected to head back to Buffalo later in the day.

Buffalo City Fire Chief Clarence Gammon said when the department arrived at the family’s one-story home in the 100 block of West Gatchell Street, flames were licking out a bedroom window and up into the eaves.

“Smoke was throughout the whole house coming out the eaves and through the attic vents,” he said. “Across the street you really couldn’t see to pull up. It was a well-working fire.”

The chief said the Keelers’ middle son was across the street with his father when he pulled up, and an ambulance arrived right after that to tend to the boy. 

Gammon said he could not confirm whether the boy had been trying to save a family pet; however, a family friend reported that’s what happened.

Gammon said his understanding is that the boy was the only person in the home at the time of the blaze.

Heat from the fire was so intense that vents at both ends of the home’s attic space melted. 

Gammon estimated a third of the house burned with the rest suffering from heat, smoke and water damage.

Fire Under Investigation

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

“We’re still looking at that. It was accidental for sure,” the fire chief said. “We are looking if there was an alternative heat source. It was certainly accidental.”

He said three engines and firefighters from both his department and Johnson County Fire District 1 were able to knock down the fire 10-15 minutes, and then stayed on site for the next two hours.

Gammon said it’s likely the house may have to be torn down.

He said the fire departments were also assisted by Johnson County Ambulance, Buffalo City Police Department and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

Family friend Tad Anderson said he has known the Keeler family for 25 years or more.

He and Adrian Keeler used to work together as hunting and fishing guides, and he characterized the Keelers as “a great loving family.”

He called Adrian a “3 a.m. friend that you can call at any time … and you can hear them getting dressed, grabbing their keys to come help you out.”

Anderson wrote on the GoFundMe campaign he started for the family that Garrett Keeler was trying to save the family’s dog, but said he did not know details of the attempt to rescue the pet. 

His understanding is that the pet did not survive.

The family lost everything in the fire, Anderson added.

Sheriff’s Office Support

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, where Adrian Keeler works as an investigator, also posted support for the family and another way to help.

“Help! One of our deputies has a challenge. When you get lemons, you make lemonade,” the department wrote. “But if you have a house fire, things are exponentially more difficult. 

“The Keelers had a fire in their home yesterday. If anyone is able to help the Keeler family financially as they navigate this challenging time, the Bank of Buffalo has opened an account for the Keelers.”

Staff at the Buffalo Police Department/Johnson County Sheriff’s Office dispatch window were also collecting donations.

Kathy Keeler posted on social media the family’s appreciation for the community’s support.

“Our hearts overflow with gratitude for your kindness, prayers, thoughtful concern and generous donations,” she wrote. “We are humbled by the outpouring of love from our incredible network of friends, family, and community.”

Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.

WYOMING, MI — A woman didn’t know if she would survive a raging apartment fire until firefighters staged a dramatic rescue with a 35-foot ladder.

“We were having problems breathing,” said the woman, who was rescued from a third-floor apartment Monday, Jan. 19, along with her sister and young niece.

The fire happened about 8:45 p.m. Monday at Crossroads Apartments, near Clyde Park Avenue SW and 44th Street.

The woman spoke to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press Thursday, Jan. 22, but asked not to be named.

She said she had been relaxing in her apartment when she realized there was a problem.

“We started hearing the alarms. We heard people screaming ‘fire, fire!’,” the woman said.

She called 911.

The woman and her family looked to escape out the main entrance, but found the stairs on fire.

“Everything was happening so fast,” she said.

They tied bed sheets together, thinking they might be able to climb down from the window.

But they also thought about jumping — until firefighters arrived and quickly extended a 35-foot ladder to the window.

Wyoming firefighters released a helmet-cam video on Tuesday, showing the rescue.

Firefighters can be heard telling the family “Do not jump!”

The video shows a firefighter first grab the child and bring her down.

“Thank you,” a woman can be heard, panicked. “My baby, my baby.”

Then the two women climb down to safety.

The woman who spoke to MLive said she left the apartment with only her clothes.

She lost everything in the fire — money, a cell phone and keepsakes.

The nearby Big Top Market, on Clyde Park Avenue, offered $200 food vouchers for residents displaced in the fire.

Vince Grill, a supervisor at the store, said the store owners just want to be good neighbors.

“They are in the community and we just wanted to help,” he said.

Wyoming Fire Marshal Brad Dornbos earlier said that 33 people in 33 units were displaced because of the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Wyoming is known as the “Cowboy State.” Lately they have made several moves to prove just how committed they are to that saying.

One of the very public statements the state has made came in reaction to a request by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). According to the Cowboy State DailyPETA sent a request in 2024 that Wyoming institute a law to allow people to opt out of a license plate that proudly displays the silhouette of a cowboy riding the legendary saddle bronc horse Steamboat.

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The letter from PETA stated, “If you continue to promote rodeos, we ask that your license plates at least more accurately reflect the cruelty that animals exploited for entertainment endure with the silhouette of a bloody spur.”

In response, Wyoming decided to face the request head on with their solid answer. In January 2026, WYDOT unveiled a new license plate to give people another option. The option is a full on rodeo specific plate.

All reports lead to Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, being behind the push for the response plate. When the new plate became available, Sen. Boner sent a letter to PETA.

“Our newest license plate elevates the very traditions you hoped we would set aside,” he wrote. “Rather than minimizing the presence of horses and riders on our roads, we opted to celebrate them even more prominently.”

A portion of the money from the rodeo plate will go to support the University of Wyoming and other community college rodeo programs within the state.

Wyoming Makes More Moves to Support Rodeo

The recent activity from the state of Wyoming continues to prove its commitment to rodeo and the western way of life. Two cities in particular have reached out in hopes of securing the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and the PRCA headquarters.

Cheyenne, Wyo. was the first location reported to be interested in getting the organization to move its headquarters. An email was sent to members on November 5, 2025 notifying them that a change was being considered. While at the time, the email indicated that this was simply a consideration and “far from certain”, Wyoming has gone on to become much more serious.

The economic development organization called Cheyenne LEADS has reportedly pledged $15 million to help entice the largest rodeo organization in the world to make the move. Along with that, just recently, the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee recommended that the state offer another $15 million as an incentive in its draft budget.

This money would be tagged as “tourism” related, but given that the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is being considered for the move as well, this would fit.

Now, the city of Cody, Wyo. has stepped forward, expressing their interest in being the home of the rodeo organization.

Cody has a strong Western heritage and culture. The nightly rodeos all throughout the summer, along with one of the biggest PRCA rodeos over the Fourth of July run, all add to the lure of Cody, Wyoming, and its support of cowboys and rodeo.

Cody has dubbed itself as the “Rodeo Capital of the World”, so its representatives feel like Cody would be a better location over Cheyenne, but did admit that the ultimate goal is to work for the state and that if the headquarters of the association is going to make a move, they just need to ensure that move is to Wyoming.

What Will the PRCA Do?

This is truly the biggest question facing all involved. While both Cody and Cheyenne say they have met with PRCA CEO Tom Glause on several occasions, the PRCA has downplayed the move.

In an interview with 5 KOAA News, PRCA Chief Marketing Officer Paul Woody said, “The move is beyond the preliminary stage. It’s been thought through and discussed at length, but there’s no pending vote from our board of directors on when or if we would accept an offer,” said Woody.

Not everyone is excited about the move. Even some of the Wyoming lawmakers have expressed concern over lack of transparency involved in the preliminary stages.

PRCA members have also voiced concerns. While certainly members have valid concerns, ultimately it will be the PRCA Board of Directors who will make the decision.

Should Wyoming go forward and make the $30 million a concrete offer, that could entice the association and its board beyond any concerns of their members.

The officials from the PRCA have said that they are simply exploring the opportunities and want to make sure that if and when a move were to happen, it will benefit the membership and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

There will, no doubt, be heated discussions on this topic, likely among many. Members of the PRCA, members of the Hall of Fame and even Wyoming government officials and residents have something to gain and something to lose in the transaction.

With the spotlight on the move, some in Texas have also stepped forward with the idea that it would make sense to have the headquarters located within their state.

Over the coming months, this is sure to be a hot topic and when more information becomes available, Rodeo On SI will be your source.

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