Two residential fires cause devastating damage

Two residential fires in Utah, one in Logan and one in Plain City, caused devastating damage, but there were no deaths or injuries.

The 11 people who were evacuated from a burning apartment building on 700 North 200 East in Logan early Monday were saved only because their neighbors pounded on their doors early in the morning, said Logan Fire Chief Mark Meaker.

The Plain City home was completely destroyed by flames while family members were away. Plain City Volunteer Fire Chief Hal Van Meeteren said the home at 2840 W. 3250 North was totally destroyed.

The home's owners were at work when the fire started, but neighbors called for emergency help when they saw flames overtaking the home.

Van Meeteren said pets that were outside the home were not injured but the two-level, single-family dwelling was ruined, as was everything inside. Damage has been estimated at nearly $200,000.

Meaker said smoke detectors were not functioning in any of the Logan apartment units that were destroyed.

"This is something of great concern," the chief said. "We could have had a multiple-fatality fire."

A report issued in 2005 by the U.S. Fire Administration reported that 4 percent of homes in the country are without smoke detectors. Those homes accounted for 39 percent of home fires and over half of reported residential fatalities caused by fires.

Another 20 percent of U.S. homes have smoke detectors that do not work, according to the 2005 report.

Damage from the Logan fire was reported at about $250,000. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, but fire officials believe it started accidentally near the wooden deck of one of the apartments.

Ten of the building's 11 residents are being assisted by the Red Cross, Meaker said. About one-third of the building was saved.

Meaker said his department has spent about $20,000 during the past few years on public education programs about the necessity of fire alarms.

In January of 2005, four people died in one day in Cache County in two separate fires. Neither residence was equipped with working alarms, Meaker said.

Since that time, firefighters have worked to educate landlords, tenants and homeowners by buying advertising space in movie theaters, newspapers and local television programming.

They will also give away smoke detectors to any disabled, low-income or elderly valley residents who ask for them.

"So there's really no excuse for not having one," he said.

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