Investigation of Mendon house fire continuing; cause unknown
September 12th, 2011 Posted in OpinionBy Storee Powell
CacheValleyDaily.com
Special to The Hard News Café
MENDON—The cause of the fire that left a newly built home in Mendon in ashes Sunday night is still unknown after the Utah State fire marshal’s investigation.
“The investigators can tell where the fire started, which was in the back of the home on the ground, but they don’t know why,” said Tom Pitcher, the general contractor working on the home. “This is probably as good as it is going to get for a known reason.”
The new house on Cobblestone Road in south Mendon, which had not yet been occupied, burned in a spectacular fire Sunday night that was visible from miles away.
A Cache County Sheriff’s Office representative said the investigation of the cause will continue and that nothing, including “foul play,” is yet ruled out.
The fire at the home, which is estimated to be a $475,000 loss, started around 9 p.m. The home was just weeks away from being completed, Pitcher said.
“I was going to finish the siding today, and all the carpets and tile was in,” Pitcher said. “The basement was ready to sheetrock if they [the buyers] had the money to do it. I was going to start the cement for the driveway tomorrow.”
The sale of the home was not complete, Pitcher said, since the loan was not closed. The home has been under construction since November and the only thing that may possibly be salvageable, Pitcher said, is the foundation.
Pitcher said the buyers did not want their name published. The house was under construction at 2055 S. 5900 West, and was vacant. Pitcher said he doesn’t know if he will be liable for losses, but said he is covered if the insurance company determines the liability to be his.
“The best thing I’d say is to not even report anything right now because it is still up in the air until the insurance company decides,” Pitcher said. “I have no idea if it is foul play. I’ve been a contractor for 28 years, and I’ve never had anything like this happen.”
The insurance company, which is unknown, sent a fire investigator to the scene today around 2:45 p.m. The inspector, Dennis Jones, questioned Pitcher, including if anyone was at the house Sunday. Pitcher said the buyer was working there the day of the fire.
TP
Tags: Mendon house fire
2 Responses to “Investigation of Mendon house fire continuing; cause unknown”
By J. Papiernik on Sep 13, 2011
The home under construction was south of 2055 S. 5900 W. The address given was the address of the caller to 911.
By J. Papiernik on Sep 13, 2011
The address of the home that burned is 6015 W. 1800 South.