Blaze destroys duplex and leaves 2 families homeless

MIDVALE — A fire early Wednesday left two families homeless.

A fire was reported just after 5 a.m. at a duplex near 7700 South and 400 East. Each unit had a family of three living inside. Both said they were awakened by "popping" noises, said Midvale Fire Department spokesman Marty Glover.

"One of the occupants said he opened the front door, but the flames were so heavy they had to get out the rear of the building," he said.

Both families evacuated through the back doors, Glover said. When fire crews arrived, they found fire in both units as well as the carport attached to them, he said.

Firefighters immediately went into a defensive fire mode, meaning they did not enter and worked mainly to prevent the flames from spreading to other structures. Glover called the duplex a total loss. No people were injured, but several pets were missing as of 9 a.m.

The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross was on the scene to help the displaced families, providing them with food and shelter.

"They lost everything; these homes are totally destroyed," said Red Cross volunteer Ashley Hodges.

The loss compounded the tragedy one family had just suffered.

"One of the families had just found out they had a death in their family and then, coincidentally, had to deal with the trauma of this fire and losing everything they had," said Red Cross volunteer Bob Kelleher.

The cause of the blaze was still under investigation Wednesday morning, but it was believed to have started in the carport, Glover said. Three cars were also lost in the fire. Total damage to the house, its contents and the carport was estimated at $400,000.

It took crews from three fire agencies about 30 minutes to knock the fire down.

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