SOUTH OGDEN, Utah, Nov. 4, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A fire late Friday afternoon destroyed a garage and the four vehicles in it and sent the homeowner to the hospital, according to South Ogden Deputy Fire Chief Rick Rasmussen.
Initial reports indicated there was an explosion and fire at 4339 S. 850 East, where the homeowner was working on the vehicles. The noise was caused by three tires exploding in the garage, and not by flammable liquids, Rasmussen said.
The fire occurred after the homeowner drained the fuel tank on a pickup truck and the fuel overspilled the container. The owner cleaned up as much fuel as possible and went into the house to wait for what was left of the gasoline to evaporate, Rasmussen said.
After the owner was back in the garage, an oxy-acetylene torch igniter sparked and set off the fire. Rasmussen said the owner attempted to put out the flames with an extinguisher and was burned in the process. He went in a private vehicle to McKay-Dee Hospital, with second- to third-degree burns from knee to ankle on one leg, Rasmussen said. His condition was being evaluated Friday evening to determine whether he would need to be transferred to the burn unit.
The alarm call was received at 4:47 p.m., and the blaze was totally extinguished by 5:22 p.m. South Ogden, Ogden, and Riverdale fire departments responded, as well as Weber County Fire District.
Rasmussen said the detached garage is about 4 feet from the house and there was some damage to the eaves of the home, but the garage and all the vehicles in it are a total loss. The fire appears to have been accidental, he said.
