This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An early morning fire at a manufactured home in Layton caused $40,000 damage but resulted in no injuries.
Doug Bitton, the public information officer for the Layton Fire Department, said a call came in at 3:54 a.m. about a fire at Lakeview Estates, 2600 N. Hill Field Road. When crews responded, they could see the flames.
Two adult males and two children, ages four and two, escaped. One of the residents broke a window to retrieve a dog from its kennel. The dog and a pet iguana survived, but a cat perished in the fire.
"This was a courageous act, but we highly recommend that firefighters perform rescue because they have all the protective equipment," said Bitton. "The time for fire crews to extinguish the fire took approximately 10 minutes."
Bitton said fire investigators suspect the fire started in a laundry room area near a dryer. It appears either the vents to the intake heating element were blocked by clothes that had dropped behind it or there was an electrical problem with the dryer.
"This trailer was equipped with smoke alarms, but they did not operate," said Bitton. "These devices are a lifeline for people, especially during the night hours. Test them monthly."
One adult woke up and was able to wake and alert the other occupants.
The Red Cross offered the four a place to say, but the men and children had family nearby.