This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An artificial Christmas tree is suspected to have caused a house fire that heavily damaged a Spanish Fork family of six Wednesday morning.
Spanish Fork police Lt. Cory Slaymaker said that a 911 call reporting the blaze, in a single-family residence at 294 W. 200 North, had come in at 9:01 a.m.
The homeowner had left to take his children to school about 8 a.m. and was returning home when he saw smoke pouring from his residence.
Slaymaker said while the cause of the fire remained under investigation, an artificial Christmas tree was suspected.
The blaze began in the main-floor family room and quickly spread throughout the home, causing an estimated $75,000 in damage.
The Utah Red Cross was assisting the family — two adults and four children — with food, shelter and clothing needs.
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