SPRINGVILLE, Utah, Feb. 10, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A 79-year-old man and longtime Springville resident died in a house fire Friday afternoon that officials say was likely accidental.
Springville Police Chief Lance Haight said a neighbor reported seeing flames coming from the windows of a home near 300 East and 800 South just before 2 p.m.
“They ran across the street and courageously tried to make entry into the home,” Haight told Gephardt Daily. “There was way too much smoke and fire. It as impossible for them to get past the fire.”
Upon learning there was someone inside the home, firefighters formed a search team and located the man, Haight said.
“When they found the individual, he was already deceased,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the family for their loss.”
The man had lived in the home for more than 40 years and was well-known to neighbors, Haight said. The man used a medical oxygen tank, which is being investigate as a possible cause, he said.
Fire crews from six agencies — Springville, Spanish Fork, Provo, Mapleton, Salem and Payson — responded to extinguish the fire, Haight said.
The fire is believed to be accidental, though it remains under investigation, he said.
