- A fire destroyed Frontier Woodworks, a family-owned business in Summit County, Thursday morning.
- The owners of Frontier Woodworks are still vacationing in Idaho with no knowledge of the fire.
- No injuries occurred, but the loss is already felt throughout the community.
FRANCIS, Summit County —A fire burned through a well-known woodworking shop in Summit County on Thursday morning.
Flames tore through Frontier Woodworks, a custom millwork and door business that's been part of the Francis community for decades.
According to fire officials, the call came in just after 9:30 a.m. when smoke from the fire at 2284 S. Spring Hollow Road was visible across the Kamas Valley.
"Unfortunately, it looks like it's still standing, but the damage is probably a total loss," said Chief Scott Thorell of the South Summit Fire Protection District.
No one was inside at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. But for the families who run the business, the loss goes far beyond the building.
Sydney Thompson, whose family owns the shop, said her parents were on vacation in Idaho, along the Snake River, and are currently out of cell range.
"They don't even know," Thompson said Thursday morning. "At least my dad doesn't, which is the worst part of it."
Thompson also ran a flower shop out of the same building.
"For myself, I feel like I can be OK. I can do flowers from anywhere, (maybe) my home," she said. "I've had family reach out, already telling me I can do it from their homes or barns or basements, you know?
"But my family, the woodshop, they can't just go anywhere and do their business. They've got machines and equipment and wood and all that stuff. So, that's the most devastating part."
As firefighters worked to knock down the flames, Thompson says she felt helpless watching everything go up in smoke.
But then, Thorell approached her carrying a bundle of cash, some of it burned, from her cash register.
"They grabbed some flowers out, but I don't think they're salvageable," she said. "But they also were grabbing anything else they saw in there, and they found this in my cash register."
"For us, it's about more than putting out the fire," Thorell said. "We serve our community. This is a terrible loss for them. We feel it as well."
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
A friend of the family has launched a GoFundMe* campaign to help the family.
"They're going to need major help," said Thompson.
*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.
