UPDATE: Cause Found for Sandy Fire Which Threatened To Ignite Hundreds Of Gallons Of Stored Fuel
SANDY, UTAH – June 10, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) — Sandy Fire Department has identified the cause of a structure fire at 3390 E. Little Cottonwood Road, 9800 South, which threatened to ignite hundreds of gallons of fuel stored in 55 gallon drums.
The cause of the fire was found by investigators to have originated in the water heater area inside the motor home.
According to Derek Maxfield, Deputy Chief of Sandy Fire Department, crews arrived yesterday at around 6 p.m. after a neighbor woke up to the smell of smoke. He went inside the motor home and tried to put the fire out but it was getting out of control and he ended up burning his hand.
Officers found a camper fully engulfed in flames. The camper fire was not only threatening a nearby structure, but also ten fifty-five gallon barrels stored near the back of the property.
Firefighters were quick to take action fearing the fire would spread into heavy vegetation and make up a run up the mountain bordering the remote stretch of land.
“Fortunately this time of year the fields haven’t dried out to the point where they went easily, but that became the first priority, ” explained Maxfield.
The crews were able to douse the fire before it burned out of control, although the flames did spread to a nearby shed.
Firefighters say one of the biggest challenges they faced Tuesday was the day’s high temperatures.
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