Blaze destroys two outbuildings in remote Iron County, but fire crews save adjacent home

Written by Jeff Richards
May 9, 2020

LUND — A fire in the remote Iron County town of Lund destroyed two outbuildings early Saturday afternoon, but responding firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to a nearby residence.

Cedar City Fire Chief Mike Phillips told Cedar City News at the scene that the fire initially started near a small metal shed, after which it spread to a larger wooden building made out of railroad ties.

Phillips said approximately one dozen firefighters assigned to three department fire engines responded, along with additional trucks and equipment. 

The fire crews were able to contain the fire to just those two structures and keep the flames from damaging a home located a short distance to the north, on the same property. The residence is one of only a handful of inhabited buildings in the sparsely populated area located approximately 35 miles west of Cedar City.

Firefighters battle a structure fire in Lund, Iron County, Utah, May 9, 2020 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, which also potentially threatened several other nearby structures to the south, officials said.

Phillips said the blaze appears to have been caused by an individual who was unlawfully burning weeds in a field near the buildings. The person was cited for their actions, the fire chief said.

Phillips said the Cedar City Fire Department’s primary coverage area spans more than 1,800 square miles, with its secondary coverage area being nearly that same size. 

As Lund’s available water supply is limited to not much more than what could fill a typical garden hose, the CCFD’s engines and trucks brought in approximately 12,000 gallons of water to fight the fire, Phillips added.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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