BOUNTIFUL, Utah — At least one person is dead and a firefighter is hurt after a Bountiful house fire Friday afternoon.
Some people living near the home on Maple Hollow Way were shocked to see the extent of the damage. It reportedly started near the basement, but officials say it quickly spread up to the attic and gutted mostly everything but the garage.
One man says, “It’s not good. I think that house is completely gone.”
Investigators say one of the residents was not in the house when the fire happened, and neighbors say they’ll band together to support them.
“There’s a whole bunch of empty nesters up here and a lot of empty bedrooms, so I’m sure we’ll them taken care of, but their lives just turned upside down, today,” one neighbor says.
When fire crews arrived, they were told the residents might still be in the home, so they rushed inside to find whoever they could.
South Davis Metro Fire Deputy Chief Greg Stewart says, “A firefighter’s concern, all the time, are if there is a life inside. They had reports of a life, possibly two lives, inside. So, they were making every effort in an attempt to save a life.”
However, Stewart says the blaze became too dangerous, and they had to fall back.
“We pulled crews out, initially, because there started to be floor collapse and roof collapse,” he says.
According to Stewart, there were large piles of stored items inside, which might have been the reason the heat from the fire was so intense. One firefighter had to be rushed to the hospital with second degree burns.
Stewart says, “It was hot enough to get through his firefighting gear.”
When the fire was under control, crews were able to find a man, likely the homeowner, dead in the basement. Stewart says they’re still trying to pinpoint the exact cause.