Fire scolds $1 million in damage to northern Utah home

A blaze caused more than $1 million in damage to a massive North Ogden house on Saturday.

A neighbor called to report smoke coming from a house at 282 E. Lomond View Drive about 4:35 a.m., said North View Fire Chief Dave Wade. The two people living in the house were able to escape and no one was injured.

Wade said he was "pretty sure [the fire] had got a good head start on us before we arrived."

Wade said the roughly 10,000 square-foot house had several additions and the fire did at least an estimated $1 million dollars in damage if not more.

"It is pretty well destroyed," Wade said adding anywhere that didnt have fire damage had smoke or water damage. However, some of the garage and the ATVs and vehicles inside were salvaged.

When fire crews arrived they could only see light smoke coming from the house. As they began to attack the fire, flames went up the inside of the walls and into the attic and continued to spread. Wade said strong gusts of wind "contributed to moving that fire around also."

After about six hours, 20 firefighters from across Weber County were able to contain the fire enough to bring a backhoe in and knock down walls to make sure the fire was out.

"There are so many voids and areas we are still trying to access," Wade said adding the size of the home and dense trees around it made it hard to access. As of 2 p.m. crews were still working to make sure the fire was completely out.

The North View fire marshal and inspector are still investigating the cause of the fire. Wade said they believe the blaze may have started on the main level or in the basement below near the front of the house.

cimaron@sltrib.com

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Fire scolds $1 million in damage to northern Utah home