Salt Lake duplex fire leaves 2 young families homeless

Two young families were essentially smoked out of their homes Friday when a small fire caused enough damage to render the duplex where they lived a total loss.

Several concerned neighbors called dispatchers just before 4 p.m. when they noticed plumes of smoke and large flames coming from the windows of a house near 150 South and 840 West.

Salt Lake City Fire Chief Scott Freitag said there was an initial concern that children were trapped inside the home. However, it was later determined that no one was home at the time of the fire. He said a language barrier between callers and dispatchers perhaps created the confusion. One family had two children living in the home and the other family had three, but all were accounted for after the fire was knocked down.

An investigation led officials to believe some clothing may have been left too close to a radiant, natural gas-operated heater in the front room of one side of the duplex, causing a fire. When one of the occupants opened the door to the house, Freitag said, enough oxygen was introduced to increase the size of the fire and spread it through the home.

Firefighters were able to contain the flames to the main floor, but there was extensive smoke and water damage, Freitag said.

"With a residence that old and dilapidated, it probably won't be repaired but torn down," he said.

The Red Cross was called to assist the families, who were renting the residence, but both declined its services and opted to stay with relatives in the area, Freitag said.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com