MURRAY (ABC 4 News) - Two people were rescued by police from a burning house in Murray Friday morning -- while firefighters battled the 2-alarm blaze in the deep snow.
The fire started at approximately 5:30 am near 800 East and 4500 South in Murray. Authorities said the flames started in the home's basement, but the cause of the fire was unclear as of late Friday morning.
When police arrived, two of the home's residents -- a mother and her daughter -- were still inside. One Unified Police officer evacuated them, unharmed, from the house. For a few moments, officials believed a third resident was also still inside. However, it was quickly determined that person was not home at the time of the fire.
The police officer and both occupants were treated for minor smoke inhalation at the scene and did not require hospitalization.
Heavy snow in the area made it slightly more difficult to fight the fire, but firefighters were able to keep flames from spreading to the upstairs portion of the house. In fact, officials said the abundance of snow on the ground was the very reason they called the second alarm -- fearing that their firefighting efforts might be hampered by the slipping and sliding.
"More than 15 inches of snow on the ground make things exciting for a while, trying to find the fire hydrant," Unified Fire Capt. Clint Meacham said.
The American Red Cross is providing assistance to the residents displaced by the fire.
