TAYLORSVILLE, Utah - A Taylorsville home was heavily damaged in a fire on Friday morning.
The fire sparked just before 8 a.m. Friday.
Crews were able to knock down the fire quickly, thanks in part to an off-duty firefighter who was driving through the area and spotted smoke.
"Due to the quick response from the firefighter from Murray, the occupants inside didn't suffer any ill effects. We even managed to get the cat out," said Unified Fire Capt. Clint Mecham.
The structure above the garage was destroyed, but no flames reached the living quarters of the home.
The family will be temporarily displaced because of smoke and water damage. The Red Cross is working with them to make sure their needs are taken care of.
Investigators are still trying to determine a cause of the fire.
Mecham says that fire crews have their hands full this time of year, and he's asking homeowners to keep up with basic maintenance to help lighten the load.
"That vegetation growing close to your home doesn't create any defensible space as we like to call it. So it can contribute to the fire load and makes our job much harder in trying to keep the fire contained to as small level as possible," Mecham said.
