Roy fires destroy 3 homes, damage several others

ROY — Three homes were destroyed, and others were damaged after catching fire in Roy Monday afternoon.

Authorities responded to two fires involving several homes near 4300 South and 2675 West, according to Roy police.

Three houses were lost in the fires, and others were damaged, authorities said.

Sparks from train brakes caused both fires, one of them in a residential area adjacent to the north-south rail line that serves commercial train traffic and the FrontRunner train. About 200 people were evacuated in total, authorities said.

"We call it a 'hot train,'" North Davis Fire District Fire Chief Mark Becraft said. "If one of their brakes gets hot ... it can throw off sparks."

Crews believe the train sparked for up to a mile and a half, starting fires along the way.

Residents in the area knew fire hazard was elevated, but they say they didn't see something so destructive starting this way.

"It was just kind of shocking," April Peterson, whose fence was damaged by the flames, said. "I just couldn't comprehend what had happened."

Hinckley Drive east of 1900 West was temporarily closed due to the other fire, which torched an undeveloped expanse between Hinckley and the rail line northeast of the blaze in the residential area. At the same time, northbound FrontRunner trains were stopping at Clearfield Station to avoid the area, with a bus bridge connecting the Clearfield and Ogden areas, the Utah Transit Authority said in a social media post.

UTA spokesman Gavin Gustafson, asked if a FrontRunner train caused the blazes, said the matter is still focus of an investigation. "The investigation is still ongoing and that has not yet been determined at this time," he said.

A cooling center was opened at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4524 S. 2525 West, for anyone evacuated from their homes, according to the American Red Cross.

Becraft called the fires an "unfortunate accident." He also issued a reminder, saying people need to be ready to evacuate.

"Especially in these kind of conditions, when it's moving that fast ... be ready to evacuate and keep your family safe. That's the most important thing," Becraft said.

Becraft estimated that fire crews will remain on the scene "well into the night."

At this time, police have not said if there were any injuries.

Jenny Mora lives in a home on 2675 West near the fire site and said she and other neighbors were dousing their backyards with their lawn hoses as a precaution. The backyard of her home abuts the rail line where the fire occurred, though her house didn't sustain any damage.

"We were just trying the best we could," she said.

She saw smoke and flames and heard what she thought was a home collapsing due to fire damage, though she didn't see it because firefighters were keeping the public away.

"You can hear it cracking under the pressure," she said.

Contributing: Tim Vandenack

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