Ogden duplex fire displaces two families

A duplex fire in Ogden early Saturday has temporarily displaced two families.

Investigators say the accidental fire was caused by a short in electrical wiring in the carport of the home, 871 S. 2nd Street, Hal Van Meeteren of the Ogden Fire Department said.

The fire broke out about 3:12 a.m. as both families slept. The families are related and were sharing the same apartment because one couple and their two children had just moved to Utah from North Carolina, he said.

After the fire started, one of the men woke to a popping noise and saw fire and smoke coming from the carport, Van Meeteren said. He woke the others — three adults and four children — and got everyone safely out of the home.

It took firefighters about an hour to extinguish the blaze, Van Meeteren said.

Investigators say the building is a total loss and estimate the damage at more than $100,000.

A car and the trailer carrying the belongings of the family that had just moved was also destroyed, Van Meeteren said.

jdobner@sltrib.com

@jenniferdobner