St. George fire destroys several structures — cleanup continues

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Those people in a St. George neighborhood where a fire broke out Friday afternoon told KSL 5 TV they heard popping noises and then saw smoke that was being moved by strong winds. And that’s when they knew to quickly get out of their homes.

The St. George fire began in the area of 300 West and Diagonal Street, a historic neighborhood as reported by the St. George News.  By Sunday afternoon, there was still no word on what caused the fire. The St. George Fire Department said it may have begun in a backyard shed. 

“We just have a lot of water damage and smoke damage,” Heidi Ivie told KSL 5 reporter Ladd Eagan. “Everything in our house right now, they say is ruined.

Some of the neighbors helped firefighters by using their own garden hoses to try and protect their homes. The St. George fire was out in a few hours, but firefighters stayed on the scene overnight keeping an eye on the embers.

Dogs rescued during St. George fire

Firefighters rescued a dog from a burning bathroom in one of the homes.  This was the same home where earlier in the firefight St. George police had rescued two dogs. 

Motorcycles, cars, and the contents of several homes were destroyed. A financial estimate of the damage has not yet been made available.

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