GARDEN VALLEY, ID – A tragic house fire that claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy in southern Idaho is drawing renewed attention after investigators confirmed the teen had initially escaped the blaze but re-entered the home moments before becoming trapped inside.

According to officials, the fire broke out the night of May 4 at a recently occupied single-family home in Garden Valley, Idaho, about 35 miles north of Boise. A nearby resident called 911 at 10:04 p.m. after spotting flames on the rear porch, which quickly spread to the entire structure. Firefighters from Garden Valley, Horseshoe Bend, and Lowman responded, but the home was fully engulfed by the time they arrived.

The teenage victim was seen fleeing the house but then ran back inside through the front door, say officials.  The speed and intensity of the fire made any escape impossible after reentry. The teen succumbed to smoke and flames before emergency crews could reach him.

A nearby residential propane tank vented dangerously under intense heat, creating a plume of fire that firefighters worked desperately to cool.

The cause of the fire remains officially undetermined. Investigators noted the porch where the fire began was cluttered with boxes and personal items, as the homeowner and her grandson had recently moved in. “Because of the extensive damage, we can only speculate,” State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl said.