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MURRAY — Police identified a 7-year-old girl and grandmother who were killed during a house fire in Murray Monday morning, officials said.
Cassidy Jackson and her grandmother, Lisa Wiley, died in a blaze that sparked at 700 W. Anderson Ave. about 8 a.m., according to Murray fire officials.
"I'm heartbroken. I think we all are. It's a very close-knit neighborhood," said Liz Stanfield, a family friend. "(Lisa's) a very devoted mother and grandmother. Absolutely adores her little grandkids."
When the house first caught fire, the mother and uncle of the 7-year-old girl tried to run up the stairs where Cassidy had gone to curl up with her grandmother, Stanfield said. They were unable to reach the pair, however, and had to turn back around.
Both escaped and were transported to a hospital for medical evaluations. Wiley is also their mother.
"That's just a horrible situation to be in. Losing two family members is tragic," Stanfield said.
Firefighters who arrived on scene also had difficulty entering the home due to thick brush outside and numerous personal items inside. They eventually found Cassidy and Wiley dead inside the house.
"We need a lot of prayers for this little family," Stanfield said. "They could use some blessings."
A GoFundMe account* for the family was set up by Globus Relief, a nonprofit organization in Salt Lake City and the employer of Cassidy's stepfather.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Contributing: Felicia Martinez and Tania Mashburn, KSL TV and Mary Richards, KSL Newsradio
*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 advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
