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WEST JORDAN — A family is safe after a house fire Tuesday afternoon in West Jordan did $150,000 in damage.
Firefighters were called to a home at about 3000 West and 7650 South at about 12:50 p.m. Tuesday. The homeowner and his two adult stepchildren were were in the home at the time of the fire, as well as two dogs and a cat. The occupants were alerted to the fire by a UPS driver who noticed the smoke and knocked on the door to alert the family, according to West Jordan Fire battalion chief Reed Scharman.
All occupants got out of the home without major injuries, although the homeowner was transported to an area hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. His face was blackened with soot when firefighters arrived, according to Scharman.
"The homeowner went out and tried to use a garden hose to put out the fire, and didn't make much headway with it," Scharman said.
The homeowner went out and tried to use a garden hose to put out the fire, and didn't make much headway with it.
–Reed Scharman
At that point, the homeowner called the fire department. Scharman said the fire appeared to have started at the rear of the home, "perhaps from an outbuilding," and then moved to the roof. Firefighters at last battled to extinguish the fire in the attic of the Rambler-style home.
"What you can see is a change in smoke condition," Scharman said while the fire was ongoing. "It's gone from being black and brown to a lighter white — that's from the water being applied to the fire."
Scharman said there appeared to be extensive damage to the west end of the house, although he could not provide an estimate until more information was known. Siding on a neighbors house was slightly melted, he said.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Scharman said he could not speculate until an investigation had been conducted, but that the homeowner said he believed the fire began in materials he had been storing outside his home.
Scharman said with a fire like this, he recommends homeowners call 911 instead of trying to fight it themselves.
"Get back, call 911," he said. "People have to remember, a garden hose is at best about two or three gallons a minute; our hose lines are 150 gallons or more."
People have to remember, a garden hose is at best about two or three gallons a minute; our hose lines are 150 gallons or more.
–Reed Scharman
This is the second fire in 24 hours in West Jordan. About 40 firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire Monday night at an industrial business.
At about 7:15 p.m. Monday, the West Jordan Fire Department was called to a fire at Intermountain Sweeper Co., 6972 South Airport Road, where they found the west side of the warehouse on fire.
Firefighters successfully contained the blaze and put it out by 8:30 p.m. with the help of crews from Salt Lake, Murray, South Jordan and the Unified Fire Authority.
Nobody was hurt by the fire. West Jordan Fire Chief Marc McElreath said the fire is believed to be accidental but an investigation is ongoing.
The business had closed for the day, but the fire department was automatically notified by the facility’s sprinkler system. The entire building suffered smoke and water damage.
Contributing: Ben Lockhart
