- A driver survived a fiery crash in Murray, sparking multiple brush fires.
- The crash occurred near 5400 South and 1100 West, involving a power pole.
- Fire crews responded quickly; no serious injuries reported.
MURRAY — A driver is lucky to be alive after a fiery crash Monday evening that not only destroyed their vehicle but also sparked several brush fires and shut down a major roadway in Murray.
The accident happened near 5400 South and 1100 West, where a car veered off the road and slammed into a power pole. The impact caused the vehicle to burst into flames and sent sparks flying into the dry grass nearby.
"It doesn't get much drier than this," assistant fire chief Stephen Olson of Murray City said. "The power pole sparked, the sparks landed in the grass, and it was off to the races."
Fire crews quickly responded to multiple fires on both the north and south sides of 5400 South, as well as another fire several blocks away that is believed to have been caused by the power outage sparking a transmitter. Fortunately, the driver managed to escape the burning vehicle without serious injury.
"This is a clear example of the fire danger we're facing right now," Olson said. "It doesn't take much. As soon as it sparks, it's running."
Officials said the situation could have been much worse. The power lines above the crash site didn't fall on the ground, avoiding a potentially deadly hazard if live wires had fallen onto the road.
Olson emphasized the importance of fire awareness during Utah's hot and dry summer months.
"If you have equipment, a vehicle or power tools that could cause a spark, and there's any sort of fuel like dry grass or brush, it's going to run," he warned.
Fire agencies across the state remain on high alert as temperatures continue to rise and vegetation dries out.
Westbound and eastbound lanes of 5400 South continued to stay closed well into the night as crews repaired the power lines.
