Two boys playing with matches apparently caused a fire that gutted an LDS chapel Thursday.
The two boys, ages 6 and 8, inadvertently ignited the fire between an outside wall of the church and two juniper trees growing next to the church, said Weber County Fire Battalion Chief Ken Dixon. The trees shielded the growing fire from sight, which climbed up the wall and into the church's attic before becoming visible.Firefighters received a call of a tree on fire about 5:15 p.m., but when they arrived the church, at 5050 S. 5900 West in Hooper, was in flames.
The church, valued at approximately $2.5 million, was a total loss, Dixon said. It took firefighters about two hours to bring the fire under control.
Two firefighters narrowly escaped serious injury while fighting the blaze. The firefighters had set up a fire line in an attic crawl space when they were ordered to get out, Dixon said. The duo left their hoses, nozzles and air packs and made it out just before the roof collapsed.