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A two-alarm fire heavily damaged a Murray house early Friday, leaving its three occupants without a home.

Unified Fire Capt. Clint Mecham said the 5:30 a.m. blaze began in the basement of the home at 785 E. 4555 South. Though hampered by more than a foot of snow at the scene, firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading upstairs.

A Unified Police officer helped evacuate a mother and daughter from the residence. The three were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and released.

A third occupant, a woman, initially was thought to have been trapped inside but later was determined to not have been home at the time of the fire.

"With the difficulty of the weather, we did decide to call the second alarm," Mecham said. "More than 15 inches of snow on the ground make things exciting for a while, trying to find the fire hydrant."

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

The Red Cross was assisting the occupants with food, clothing and shelter.