Two men escaped a fire early Tuesday that caused $50,000 damage to a West Central City home.

The men were asleep in the house, 137 W. Goltz Ave. (1080 South), when they heard loud popping sounds from the first floor. The noise was coming from a shorted circuit in an electrical panel.Fire crews arrived about 1:45 a.m. and found the two men standing outside while heavy smoke poured from windows and doors. Firefighters controlled the blaze within 30 minutes.

The two-story home was equipped with a smoke detector but it didn't work because of a dead battery, said Salt Lake Fire Capt. Jeff Stansfield.

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Firefighter Dave Dixon injured his back while fighting the blaze. He suffered only a minor wound and was treated by paramedics at the scene.

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