WEBER COUNTY, Utah — A century-old spillway control house in Weber Canyon was completely destroyed Tuesday night after lightning struck a nearby power pole.
The 100-year-old structure was located near the Eastbound Weber Canyon Rest Area and caught on fire after lightning struck a power pole.
Initially, the pole was the only thing on fire, until the flames burned through and started igniting the building and grass below.
Fighting the fire was extremely challenging due to a variety of factors including weather and location, the Mountain Green Fire Protection District cited.
Due to the danger of potential electrocution and the location of the building, firefighters were initially "helpless" to approach the building until Rocky Mountain Power was able to turn off power in the area.
Then, things got even more difficult as the power pole broke and "rained flaming debris on the house and grass," officials stated.
Since there are no fire hydrants in the area, water was "drafted" from the nearby river and lobbed from very far onto the building.
Luckily, there were no injuries involved with the situation and crews from multiple agencies were able to knock the fire down after about six hours of challenging work.
The building was deemed a total loss but Rocky Mountain Power representatives told fire crews that the entire facility was due to be replaced within a few months.
