A family of eight was sound asleep when flames swept through their three-story Riverdale home last week, killing five of them.

The fire was caused by a power strip that overheated overnight, Riverdale Fire Chief Matthew Hennessy said. The power strip also sat near the front door, and once it ignited, flames quickly spread throughout the living room, climbing over furniture and blocking the home’s main exits.

At the time, some family members slept upstairs, while others slept in the home’s lower level, Hennessy said.

Flames also blocked the home’s two staircases, leaving the family with few options to escape when they woke up.

That also made it difficult for firefighters to get inside.

“Some were rescued through the windows,” he said.

Lindsey Bird, a teacher in the Weber School District, survived along with two of her sons. One of the boys is being treated for burns, Hennessy said.

Her husband, Nathan Bird, and four of their children died.

In the days since, Hennessy said the Riverdale community has rallied around the Bird family and the firefighters who responded.

“In a matter of moments, Lindsey’s entire world changed,” reads a GoFundMe campaign a few of the family’s close friends set up.

As of Friday afternoon, more than $21,000 had been raised to help cover funeral costs and other expenses, along with ongoing medical treatment.

A donation account for the family was also set up through America First Credit Union.

Electrical fires increasingly common

Extension cords, overloaded power outlets and lithium-ion batteries are causing more and more electrical fires, said Michael Smauldon, the executive director of northern Utah’s American Red Cross chapter.

There’s a misconception that adding a power strip gives a circuit more capacity and helps prevent fires, Smauldon said. But power strips don’t increase how much electricity a circuit can safely handle.

To avoid overloading a circuit, larger, power-hungry appliances like air fryers, microwaves or space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet, he said. Power strips should only be used for smaller devices.

Hennessy added its safest to only use power strips and extension cords temporarily.

“If you’re not there, unplug it,” he said. “If you’re going to bed, unplug things.” That includes phones and laptops that are often left charging overnight.

Lithium-ion batteries — which power phones, laptops, power tools and more — should also only be charged with manufacturer-approved cords or chargers.

Larger devices, such as e-bikes, should be charged outside and away from exits, in case a fire starts. And personal devices, like phones and laptops, should always charge on hard surfaces, rather than a couch or bed.

Deadliest house fire of chief’s career

So far this year, Red Cross volunteers have responded to 127 home fires across Utah and helped 616 people.

Hennessy said the Riverdale blaze is a reminder of how quickly a home can become engulfed in flames.

It was the deadliest house fire he’s ever seen in his career, he said, and it’s shaken the close-knit Riverdale community.

“Having a tragedy like this is just really devastating,” he said.