Local men injured in house fire
Kristen Jones
Farmer Staff Writer
On July 7, 2024, a residential fire occurred at a home north of Arnegard. It is estimated that the fire began around 7:30 p.m.
According to a press release by the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) “The reporting parties indicated the residence was fully engulfed and two individuals had sustained significant burns to their bodies, while three other family members were able to exit the residence without injuries.
“Upon arrival of the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office, two males were located and identified as Dustin Ceynar (48) and Clay Ceynar (19). Both males were transported by ambulance to the McKenzie County Hospital and were later flown to an outside medical facility for continued life-saving medical care.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is being handled by MCSO Investigations Division with the assistance of the North Dakota Fire Marshal’s Office, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NDBCI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The responding organizations were the Watford City Fire Department, Arnegard Fire Protection District, McKenzie County Fire Department, Keene Volunteer Fire/Rescue, Alexander Fire Department, Twin Valley Fire Department, McKenzie County Road Department and the McKenzie County Ambulance.
According to Sara Ceynar, both Dustin and Clay are at Regions Hospital Burn Center in St. Paul. Minn.
She stated that both men have burns over 86 percent of their bodies, and have undergone many surgeries to address the wounds they received.
The family has lost everything in the fire and many businesses and organizations within McKenzie County have begun fundraising efforts.
Accounts have been set up for the family at Cornerstone Bank and First International Bank and Trust.