Two Salt Lake County fires caused a total of $40,000 damage Saturday.
About 6:30 p.m., a two-alarm fire ripped through a South Salt Lake house, 275 E. Wentworth Avenue (2210 South), causing an estimated $30,000 damage.When South Salt Lake firefighters arrived, they found smoke billowing out the windows and the house engulfed in flames, said Capt. Robert Adams. After arriving, Adams immediately requested Salt Lake City to send help.
The fire apparently started in the basement, Adams said.
"It seems this house was used as a storage unit. We have a number of houses used this way and it hinders us from doing our job. When people keep collecting and collecting things, firefighters have a hard time searching for clues and victims through the debris. It becomes a hazard."
Reports of a 30-year-old man trapped inside were unfounded, Adams said. "We have searched the house and found no one inside." The fire is under investigation.
A kitchen fire in Taylorsville resulted in smoke and fire damage amounting to nearly $10,000, Salt Lake County fire Capt. Scott Collins said.
Salt Lake County firefighters had the blaze under control five minutes after arriving at 4717 S. Spicewood Circle (2870 West) at 11:17 a.m. The fire and resulting damage was confined to the kitchen area of the house. No one was home when it started, he said. That fire is also under investigation.