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House fire in Garden City kills 66-year-old man, but his service dog is expected to recover

Posted at 7:59 PM, Jan 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-02 23:50:19-05

GARDEN CITY, Utah — Officials found one man deceased in a home fire Wednesday morning after his nurse came by for a therapy appointment.

Harry Hazard, 66, apparently died in the fire, which the Utah State Marshall’s office determined was caused by a cigarette.

Emergency crews responded to the fire after Hazard’s home nurse called in the incident. She told officials when she opened the door to the residence, heavy smoke and intense heat forced her back.

Garden City Fire District firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire and contain its spread, according to a Facebook post from the Rich County Sheriff’s Office.

A responding deputy entered the living room of the home and found Hazard deceased on the floor.

The Utah State Fire Marshall’s Office determined the fire originated in a reclining couch from a cigarette, and that a nearby home medical oxygen device contributed to the fire’s rapid spread through the living room.

The fire was contained to the living room but the rest of the home was severely damaged by smoke.

Hazard’s service dog was located on the second level of the home. Officials said the dog seemed to be experiencing difficult and labored breathing. EMS personnel administered high flow oxygen to the dog after firefighters removed the dog from the home.

The dog has been transported to a veterinarian in Montpelier, Idaho and is expected to survive.