By Lindsay Whitehurst
The Salt Lake Tribune
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A woman and her five children escaped a house fire Saturday morning before the blaze destroyed their half of a duplex in West Valley City.
The blaze started about 10 a.m. after the woman switched her laundry from the washing machine to the dryer and heard a “pop” when she turned it on, said West Valley City Assistant Fire Chief Kris Romijn.
She looked underneath the dryer and saw that the area appeared to be glowing, Romijn said.
The clothes she had removed started on fire. She tried to douse the blaze with a wet towel, but could not, so she and her children left the house and called 911.
When firefighters arrived at the house near 2900 West and 2800 South, they saw smoke and flames rolling out of the front. They fought the blaze from outside, but it destroyed the family’s half of the duplex. The other side sustained light smoke damage and small damage to the sheetrock. The residents on that side were not home at the time of the fire, Romijn said.
The fire started when the water heater malfunctioned, causing sparks to land on the clothes and ignite, said fire Capt. Joe White.
Damage is estimated at $100,000. The family, which also includes a father who was at work, will stay with relatives, Romijn said. They also will receive help from the Red Cross.
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