SALT LAKE CITY — One person was found dead in a house fire near Liberty Park on Thursday.
Salt Lake City Fire responded to the house near 300 East Williams Avenue and saw flames and smoke coming from inside the building.
After the fire was put out, officials went inside the home and found one person deceased.
Fire officials said approximately 35 firefighters battled the blaze before it was controlled. Unified Fire assisted in putting out the fire.
No one else was inside the house at the time and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
For neighbor Erin Sanders, the fire came as a complete shock to her in what has always been known as a safe neighborhood.
"I've been living here for almost a year now and I've always felt really safe being here," she said. "Not seeing anything like this in the neighborhood, everyone is really friendly."
To her knowledge, no fires, much less deadly fires, have ever happened here.
"It hits really close to home," said Sanders. "I hate to think that somebody lost their life today.
Even though the cause is still under investigation, American Red Cross for Utah and Nevada Regional CEO Heidi Ruster says there are ways to help mitigate the chances of a fire breaking out in your own home.
"If there is a challenge with power in electricity in your home, get it checked out," she said. "It's not something to put off because it could be very dangerous."
The American Red Cross can install smoke detectors for free and help make evacuation plans with you for your own home.
“We work with them at the house to say what are those exits that everybody is aware of out of every room," said Ruster. "It’s just really important that you have those conversations and that those alarms work because they do save lives.”
