Woman, 2 dogs die in Provo house fire

PROVO — A 48-year-old woman and two dogs died in a fire early Friday that destroyed a home that should not have been occupied, fire officials said.

The fire was reported about 4:45 a.m. Crews arrived at the home, 1455 S. State, to find flames shooting through the roof.

A man attempted to get to the woman, who was trapped in a bedroom, but flames prevented him from reaching her, said Provo Fire Capt. Dean York.

"He did try to get in and rescue her but wasn't able to do it," he said.

The man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but declined to be transported to a hospital.

Provo fire officials said the woman "had some health issues that may have contributed to her not being able to exit the structure."

The home is an older house that used to be a video rental store, York said. It was converted into several apartments that the man reportedly rented out. The home, which is considered a total loss, also had a lot of materials inside it that made the fire more difficult for crews to fight.

"It's tragic for them to have this happen," he said.

Damage was estimated at $200,000.

A cause of the fire had not been determined, but York said it is not considered suspicious.

Firefighters recovered the woman's body but have not yet released her identity.

“We have representatives from Utah State Fire Marshall’s Office as well as the fire department and law enforcement (on scene) for most of the day," Provo Fire Battalion Chief Lynn Schofield said, adding that the crews were "still digging" for information Friday evening.

Firefighters said power to the building had been disconnected on Tuesday, and the building should not have been occupied. It also had limited ways to exit and no working smoke alarms, Provo fire officials posted on Facebook.

Contributing: Shara Park, Ashley Imlay

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