ST. GEORGE – A shed burnt to the ground and scarred the side of a house in the Dixie Downs area before firefighters were able to extinguish a fire Tuesday afternoon.
Around 3:40 p.m., the St. George Fire Department was dispatched to a shed fire that was threatening a home in the area of 975 North 1900 West, St. George Fire Battalion Chief Ken Guard said.
When the first engine arrived on scene, it was confirmed the fire had spread to the exterior of the home and additional resources were called in.
“The occupants did try to extinguish it with a garden hose, but it got beyond their capability,” Guard said.
The shed, one of two set on the west side of the house, was a total loss. Fire damage to the home was contained to the outside wall.
“There was minor damage to the exterior of the home on the one gable end,” Guard said. “We confirmed inside the structure there was no fire inside; nothing in the attic.”
The fire was largely out before 4:30 p.m. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
No one was injured in connection with the fire. Damage to one side of the home and loss of the shed is roughly estimated at be between $4,000 and $5,000, Guard said.
Nearly 30 firefighters were dispatched to the scene along with six fire engines and a ladder truck.
Having the high-number of firefighters there was a precautionary measure in case the fire spread to surrounding buildings, Guard said. It was also necessary to have that many firefighters on hand to rotate crews during the heat of the day, he said.
St. George Police and Gold Cross Ambulance were also on scene.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Connie Fieseler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Firefighters were called to a shed fire that threatened a home in the Dixie Downs area. The shed was a total loss with the home receiving minor external damage, St. George, Utah, June 7, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.