HURRICANE — A blaze tore through a family home on Monday night, killing a pet cat and prompting residents and their two dogs to evacuate the house.
A backyard fire spreads to an adjacent residence, resulting in a partial roof collapse, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Valley Fire District, St. George News
According to information the Hurricane Valley Fire District posted on their Facebook page, fire crews were dispatched around 10:34 p.m. following reports of a structure fire.
Initial reports indicated a significant fire in the backyard adjacent to the residence. Upon arrival, the first responding crews were met with flames engulfing the exterior of the house. The fire then spread to the attic, resulting in a partial roof collapse. The first engine company arrived on-site within five minutes and commenced an aggressive approach to combat the blaze, according to the post.
At the time, the wind was blowing southward at around 12 mph, posing a threat to nearby structures. Concerned about the possibility of the fire spreading to neighboring homes, the officer leading the first response team called for extra assistance.
Authorities say smoke detectors alerted the four occupants, who had successfully evacuated. Additionally, there were three pets inside, one cat and two dogs. While both dogs managed to escape unharmed, the cat did not survive and was found dead inside the home.
A backyard fire spreads to an adjacent residence, killing a pet cat and causing the roof to partially collapse, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Valley Fire District, St. George News
Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze within the residence. Although the adjacent structure sustained damage to its exterior wall, there was no spread of the fire indoors. The fire’s cause is under investigation and no injuries were reported, authorities said.
Battalion Chief Tyler Ames of the Hurricane Valley Fire District emphasized to St. George News the significance of yard maintenance in preventing exterior fires, underlining the need for thorough cleanup.
“We did want to stress the importance of smoke detectors, too,” Ames said. “This house did have some that alerted the family so they were able to make it out before anything happened.”
The Hurricane Valley Fire District extended appreciation to the responding agencies, which include the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Hurricane City Police Department, St. George Fire Department, Washington City Fire Department, and the Hildale/Colorado City Fire Department.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Photo Gallery
A backyard fire spreads to an adjacent residence, resulting in a partial roof collapse and a deceased pet cat, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Valley Fire District, St. George News
A backyard fire spreads to an adjacent residence, resulting in a partial roof collapse and a deceased pet cat, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Valley Fire District, St. George News
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