Lots of preparation and excitement was put into this Boy Scout Troop's big snow camping trip in the caves near Idaho Falls and then early this morning around 2:40 a.m. everything went wrong.

According to East Idaho News the Idaho Falls Fire Department was immediately dispatched along with four ambulances, multiple vehicles from the Bonneville County Sheriff's Office, and one other fire department.  The reports coming in said that there was smoke, lots of smoke coming from inside the 17 mile cave where 13 Boy Scouts and five leaders were camping.

Smoke this thick is beyond hazardous, it's life threatening and authorities were even more concerned because the fire and smoke came at a time when most, if not all of these men were sleeping which meant they could get hit with these toxic fumes before they even know it which wouldn't give them a chance to evacuate.

The chaos that ensued after leaders woke up to nothing but a thick blanket of smoke was part of what made things so difficult when trying to account for everyone.  The Boy Scouts and leaders all ran as far away from the campsite as possible.  Emergency teams were able to account for all 13 Boy Scouts and their leaders and fortunately none of them suffered any major injuries.  Four other people were camping in the cave and reports state that two of them stayed behind for treatment and the other two ran off.

What exactly happened is currently under investigation.  We'll keep you posted.

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