West Jordan fire investigators believe an accidental gas stove explosion is to blame for a weekend condominium complex blaze that killed a woman and injured two other people.
West Jordan city spokesman Kim Wells on Monday identified the victim as 66-year-old Judy Pedersen. Firefighters responding to the 3 p.m. Sunday fire at the Daybreak Hills Condominiums, near 1300 West and 6700 South, found Pedersen deceased inside her ground floor unit.
Officials believe the fire started in Pedersen’s residence. A knob on the gas stove in her unit was found in the ”on” position, investigators found, and the neighbors above her unit reported feeling an explosion below them. The fire appeared to have started in Pedersen’s residence and then spread up a stairwell to other units. Eight other condos sustained heavy fire, smoke and water damage, forcing 11 people from their homes, WJFD reported.
A 26-year-old man and 23-year-old woman, unable to flee the flames down the burning staircase, jumped from a second story window. The man broke his hand and the woman broke both of her arms.
They were in good to fair condition on Monday, Wells said.
The two-alarm fire was battled by 35 firefighters from West Jordan, Murray and the Unified Fire Authority.
The Utah Red Cross was assisting evacuees with food, clothing and shelter.
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