MURRAY, Utah, Feb. 3, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Murray family has been displaced overnight by a fire in the attic of its home, but the situation could have been much worse.
Murray Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeff Ellis said the call came in at about 8:20 p.m. Friday, and when firefighters arrived at the single-family home near 5500 South and 700 West, they found a small fire in the attic.
“It had been burning for some time,” Ellis said, “and the family didn’t see any flames, but they started to smell smoke.”
He said firefighters had to pull down some of the ceiling to get at the source, and they had the fire out “within a minute.” They then spent time doing cleanup.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined officially, but Ellis said it may have been caused by electrical wiring.
No estimate of damage was immediately available, but drywall and insulation will definitely have to be replaced, and the residents will be spending the night with other family members.
“They were fortunate,” Ellis said. “It happened when everyone was still awake and they smelled the smoke. And there was no damage to the main part of the house. It was contained in the attic.”
