Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Richard Piatt reporting "She was pretty coherant. She was worried about her cats and her cookies."
But neighbors of the woman who lives in a Millcreek home are worried about her, after a fire swept through her home.
The elderly couple who live there is being treated at the University of Utah Medical Center, while fire investigators try to find out what caused the fire.
Firefighters snuffed out the flames at the home near 3401 S. 2890 East.
But, a neighborhood is still smoldering after a scary sight: Flames shooting from windows of the home, and the woman who lives here, running out, severely burned and worried about her husband still trapped inside.
Erin Ellsworth & Valarie Whitehead/Witnesses: "And then the lady that lives there came out , and she was all burning, and her hands were black, peeling off. And she ran out and she was like: 'My house is on fire.'"
Joan Ellsworth/Neighbor: "I tried to get her to move, but she wouldn't. Her husband was right there in the basement window trying to get out."
Neighbors say Preston and Joanne Bair are the people who live here---a couple in their 70's.
Joan Ellsworth says Joanne Bair told her gasoline stored somewhere in the home, may have ignited. But fire investigators have not confirmed that yet.
They are still poking through a severely damaged home.
Jay Zilkowski, Salt Lake County Fire Dept.: "Crude estimate right now, we're saying about 150-thousand, given the extent of damage fire and heavy smoke in the basement and the first floor."
The couple's two cats are also casualties of the fire. Neither survived. Neighbors watch the scene---somberly.
Joan Ellsworth/Neighbor: "It is very sad, especially for these people. She's been a cancer patient for about 8 to 9 years, has been on chemotherapy and kind of frail as it is, but sweet sweet lady and we're all so sad this has happenned to them."
Joanne Bair is in critical condition at the University of Utah burn center. Her husband Preston got out of the house, but is also at the U Med Center in fair condition.
