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Whit Johnson Reporting Fire investigators have their hands full trying to figure out how two people were killed when their car exploded near a Maverik gas station. Investigators still don't know the cause.
Jim Zonar: "What I heard was an explosion. It shook the whole hotel room."
Almost an entire city block could hear the explosions as firefighters battled the aggressive flames.
The car exploded and caught fire near the Maverik station at 600 South 200 West. The Red Lion Hotel is nearby. Some people staying there thought a bomb actually went off in the building.
From their balconies, they watched the events unfold, and later learned two people died in the flames.
Jim Zonar: "You could immediately see flames and smoke. So we came outside and by that time the car was engulfed in flames."
Dennis McKone / Salt Lake City Fire Department: "Crews arrived shortly thereafter. It took them quite awhile to get this fire knocked down, there was so much involvement with it at this time."
Around 3:00 this afternoon, a Ford Explorer burst into flames.
Jim Zonar: "You heard an explosion and this big pipe thing came out."
Michael Zonar: "It look like a firework. I mean, it went a good 200 feet up, and I mean, just 'doink.'"
Crews battled the fire, heavy smoke, and explosions. When it finally settled, crews made a gruesome discovery inside the SUV.
Michael Zonar: "We ran out at the same time. Just a lot of flames. We thought there was somebody in it."
And there was. Two people, both killed. Investigators don't know what caused the explosion, but they say it's unusual.
Dennis McKone / Salt Lake City Fire Department: "This is very uncommon for a situation like this. People heard a pop. The car was fully involved. The two victims were both in the front seat."
And witnesses saw something else, something suspicious.
Kyle Rich: "The vehicle was on fire, flames shooting everywhere. It looked to me like there was some kind of a rope hanging out of the gas tank with flames on it."
Firefighters couldn't comment on that, but say the incident is now a multi-agency investigation as they try to uncover many unanswered questions.
Reporter: "When you heard that explosion, what was the first thing that went through your head?"
Jim Zonar: "Well, I was with my son here, and I says, 'Let's get back, get out of the way.'"
Investigators are not releasing the names of the victims. They can't say if the car was rolling or stopped. And cars don't just explode. So exactly what happened? We don't have an answer yet.
