ST GEORGE — Quick action by a resident contained a fire that broke out during an evening barbecue Sunday and kept it from spreading to the rest of the home until firefighters arrived and extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported.
Just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday, St. George Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire at 121 E. 200 South in St. George. Upon arrival firefighters found flames near the rear entryway of the home.
The resident, Ricky Hughes, turned the barbecue on and went inside to get meat and let the barbecue warm up, St. George Fire Battalion Chief Darren Imlay said. When he returned outside, he saw flames shooting up the side of the home.
“Something happened with the barbecue,” Imlay said, “for the flames to shoot up like they did.”
Once the fire started, it worked its way to the rear wall of the residence and continued spreading up the wall and into the eaves, Imlay said. At that point, Hughes grabbed a fire extinguisher and started putting the fire out. Then he used a garden hose to keep it from spreading as firefighters began to arrive.
“He did have an extinguisher handy,” Imlay said, “which is always a good thing.”
Once on scene, firefighters finished extinguishing the blaze and doused the roof. Then they climbed up to the eaves to make sure the fire was completely out.
Fire crews set up fans and ventilated the building to remove the smoke.
“It was just that fast,” Hughes said of the fire. “This house is all wood, and it’s older. So the flames shot up like a skyrocket – it’s scary to see how fast these older homes can catch fire.”
No injuries were reported, Imlay said, and most of the damage was to the exterior of the home and was minor.
The fire remained under investigation as this report was taken.
St. George Fire and Police departments responded to the incident.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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A barbecue fire spread to the resident's home at 121 E. 200 South, St. George, Utah, Sept. 4, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News St. George firefighters check both attic areas and eaves where fire spread to make sure it is fully extinguished after a barbecue fire spread to the resident's home at 121 E. 200 South, St. George, Utah, Sept. 4, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News St. George firefighters check both attic areas and eaves where fire spread to make sure it is fully extinguished after a barbecue fire spread to the resident's home at 121 E. 200 South, St. George, Utah, Sept. 4, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Firefighters extinguish a blaze that started after a barbecue caught an exterior wall on fire and spread to the roof area of a resident's home at 121 E. 200 South, St. George, Utah, Sept. 4, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News St. George firefighter checks area where fire spread and knocking down material to make sure no hot spots are present after a fire started by a barbecue spreads to the resident's home at 121 E. 200 South, St. George, Utah, Sept. 4, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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No one was hurt and the damage wasn’t that bad. Praise the Lord !