Logan firefighters battle blazes in 2 homes built more than a century ago

Photo: Logan Fire Department

LOGAN, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Logan City firefighters battled major fires Saturday in two residential buildings believed to be more than a century old.

Crews were called to the first fire a little before 4 a.m., Craig Humpfreys, assistant chief/fire marshal at theĀ  Logan City Fire Department, told Gephardt Daily. They responded to the scene, at 156 E. 100 North.

“On arrival, we found flames and smoke coming from an upstairs apartment and the attic of the home that had, which was probably built sometime around 1910, then divided into four apartments.

“Legacy homes” are not built to modern standards, of course, and dividing an older house into separate living spaces can make fires more difficult to access.

“So it was difficult in nature, however all residents were accounted for. They were all out safely. We had no injuries to firefighters, and all the pets were accounted for except for two cats.”

Photos Logan Fire Department

Humphreys told Gephardt Daily that, as of about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, crews were still on the first scene, monitoring hot spots. The building’s compromised structural integrity made it unsafe for firefighters to do a complete search of the interior, he said.

“They may need some heavy equipment to render safe before we can go up and go through the entire structure.”

Second fire

Humphreys said the second fire, called in at about 8:30 a.m., was even more unusual because it was in a stone building built in about 1860, Humphreys said.

With firefighters still at the first fire, another crew responded to the second fire, at 111 N. 200 West.

“When we arrived, we had smoke coming through the roof from the attic space,” Humphreys said. “The building was solid rock outside, but the roof and rafters in the attic were wood construction.”

The house had been divided into living spaces for two people or families, he said.

“The fires were actually pretty similar in nature. In the second one, the residents and pets were all accounted for, and no firefighters were injured.

“And the fires were actually pretty similar in nature. Everyone, all the residents and pets were accounted for. In the second fire, we’re watching hotspots and moving into investigations on that one as well.”

Six families were displaced, he said.

Humphreys said a highlight of the difficult day has been seeing the skills and dedication of Logan’s fire fighters.

“Our crews just performed very well to their best of their ability,” he said. “Fire operations are very tough in these conditions. Cold water and extreme cold weather don’t generally go together very well. It was hard on the crews, but we were able to get both fires out.

“And during all of this, they also handled at least four medical calls throughout the city.”

There are no damage estimates yet, but Humphreys said he would guess both houses are total losses. No cause has been determined yet for either fire, he added.

Photos Logan Fire Department

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