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WEST JORDAN — Fire destroyed a house in West Jordan on Thursday afternoon but no one was injured, according to fire officials.
It happened about 3:30 p.m. at a home located near 5600 West and 8400 South. West Jordan Fire battalion chief Clint Paxton said crews responded to reports of multiple explosions and found flames coming from the attic when they got to the scene.
After making sure no people were inside the home, firefighters took a defensive stance and fought the flames from the outside of the structure.
They had the fire mostly out by 5 p.m., but video from KSL-TV shows the house sustained major damage, with the entire interior of the house gutted by fire and only the perimeter of the structure left intact.
Witness Sean Dixon said the entire garage door was blown off into the driveway and the fire grew worse quickly in terms of smoke and visibility.
Dixon said there was a woman still in the house when the explosion occurred and police showed up just in time to help her escape the fire and walk out of the house on her own feet.
Carisa Kelly, the woman's daughter, said she has felt devastation, heartbreak and shock at the fire, but is very grateful her mother made it out of the house OK.
Kelly said there were two dogs in the house who are missing and who she fears are dead.
"Just in one minute, your life can change," Kelly said. "Cherish everything. Because my parents no longer have a home."
A GoFundMe* page was created by Megan Kelly on Thursday night to raise money to help the homeowners rebuild their lives.
Firefighters told KSL-TV it isn't often a home burns as completely as this one did, leaving it a total loss.
Family members said someone was supposed to come to the house to repair or service a water heater, but it's unclear if that water heater is how the fire started. The cause of the explosion and fire is still under investigation.
Crews are on the scene of a house fire that started at approximately 3:30 Thursday afternoon. https://t.co/UfcQHBNi7r
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) November 3, 2022
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
