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BLUFFDALE — On Sunday evening, a Bluffdale family nestled into their home, anticipating a Hawaii vacation the next morning. Hours later, they awoke to a frightening scene — a fire.
On Monday morning, the family said between 60% and 80% of their home was lost in the flames, which aggressively tore through the garage and up to the roof, causing a collapse. The family said they're simply grateful everyone got out with their lives.
KSL-TV spoke with the family's cousins, who live next door.
"We saw my uncle," said Morgan Mangum, the homeowner's niece. "He was just like ... 'What happened?'"
Mangum said her family also awoke next door to the frightening view.
"We saw the backyard; it was all in flames," she said.
Cellphone footage taken by neighbors shows the intensity of the fire as it consumed the garage. Firefighters arrived and quickly had to back off to fight defensively. Fortunately, by that time everyone was out of the home.
The family said their in-laws happened to have been staying with them overnight, and it helped them to respond quicker. The family dog began barking, which alerted them to the flames.
"I was so scared, I was just picturing — that could be any of us," she said. "I was just hoping everyone was OK."
The American Red Cross arrived to help the family take shelter in the early hours of the fire on Monday. Since they're now displaced, the family decided to go on their planned vacation to Hawaii. What exactly might be waiting for them when they return, though, is uncertain.
Firefighters remained at the home, saying they'd be there for at least half the day Monday to be sure hotspots were extinguished. The investigation into what caused the fire is ongoing.
