Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
IVINS — A fire in Ivins Saturday left a woman critically injured, a house destroyed and a family displaced.
Shortly after noon, firefighters responded to the structure fire on the 220 East block of 855 South involving a single-story home with flames visible from the rear of the residence. Initial reports claimed one person was possibly still inside.
Upon arrival, the first engine crew found heavy smoke coming from the kitchen area at the rear of the home. Upon approach, firefighters found the entire back of the residence fully engulfed in flames, Santa Clara-Ivins Fire Department public information officer Steve Ikuta said.
The firefighters’ first task was to find anyone still inside the home, Ikuta said. While searching the inside of the house, fire crews were advised that one occupant was able to evacuate the building on her own but was seriously injured.
The woman was initially treated by paramedics at the scene and then quickly transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in critical condition, Ikuta said.
Meanwhile, the St. George Fire Department was called in to assist.
Firefighters tackled the blaze from the inside of the residence until the rapid spread of the fire engulfed the roof, which was threatening to collapse. At that point, fire crews exited the structure and took a defensive position, Ikuta said, explaining that it was too dangerous for them to remain inside of the building.
“That fire moved and then spread very rapidly from there,” Ikuta said.
The department’s ladder trucks directed streams of water into the center of the residence through the now-collapsed roof from above, continuously fighting the flames to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby homes.
After more than an hour, the fire was extinguished. For several hours afterward, crews remained on scene to look for hot spots and smoldering embers that could potentially reignite at a later time.
The home was completely destroyed by the blaze. The American Red Cross’ disaster action team was contacted and responded to help with immediate, short-term disaster-relief services for the family as part of a regular service the organization provides when a fire or other disaster displaces a family or individual.
As of the time this report published, Ikuta said the cause of the fire was undetermined.
Emergency personnel from Santa Clara-Ivins Fire Department, Santa Clara-Ivins Ambulance, St. George Fire Department and Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department responded and contained the scene, while Gold Cross Ambulance sent a crew who remained on scene for medical support.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings
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Smoke can be seen billowing from a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Lynn Nelson, St. George News
Smoke can be seen billowing from a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Lynn Nelson, St. George News
Flames can be seen coming from a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Hollie Reina,, St. George News
Multiple fire engines and ladder trucks respond to a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
A Home is destroyed after a fire breaks out in a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
A Home is destroyed after a fire breaks out in a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Multiple fire engines and ladder trucks respond to a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Smoke can be seen from Pioneer Parkway during a structure fire at a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Firefighters battle a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Pump operators direct water from two ladder trucks directly into a home through its collapsed roof Saturday, Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Multiple fire engines and ladder trucks respond to a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Thick smoke continues to billow from a home as it nearly burns to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Firefighters continue to battle a structure fire involving a residence in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
A roof collapses during a fire that nearly burns a home to the ground in Ivins, Utah, Oct. 27, 2018 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cody Blowers was raised in South San Francisco, California. A 2013 graduate of Colorado Technical University, Cody earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in paralegal studies. Through the course of her academic studies she discovered that writing is her true passion, and she is committed to providing credible, integrated news coverage. Cody joined St. George News in 2015, and when she’s not busy chasing the news, she can generally be found chasing her young granddaughter, Kali.
Sorry to break into the sunshine and rainbow world you’re living in, but this is important.
House fires of this magnitude are newsworthy, since they don’t happen very often. And the cause of the fire may be something others can learn to avoid. I’m glad she reported on this fire, and I hope the woman who was injured is able to make a speedy recovery.
I’m also glad none of the firefighters was hurt doing their job. Thank you for your service, guys.
Stop worrying bad news. Why don’t you write about all the homes that didn’t burn down this weekend? This is distressing. Sending love though
Good point
Sorry to break into the sunshine and rainbow world you’re living in, but this is important.
House fires of this magnitude are newsworthy, since they don’t happen very often. And the cause of the fire may be something others can learn to avoid. I’m glad she reported on this fire, and I hope the woman who was injured is able to make a speedy recovery.
I’m also glad none of the firefighters was hurt doing their job. Thank you for your service, guys.
I love seeing these pictures for the simple reason it offends you