OGDEN, Utah — Police said a fire over the weekend in an Ogden neighborhood retention pond was accidentally caused by a juvenile suspect.
On Saturday night, police and fire officials responded to 465 N. Jefferson Avenue to reports of a structure fire.
“We got some large phragmites that have grown from last season,” explained Ogden Fire Deputy Chief Matthew Hess.
Hess said those phragmites caught fire, with heavy smoke and flames.
Officers evacuated the assisted living facility next door out of an abundance of caution.
The fire charred Martin Bellot’s fence, burned some of his shed, and the heat from the phragmites melted the side of his home.
"Kinda sad,” Bellot said. “It could have been worse, but everyone’s okay. My wife and I are okay."
There was no damage inside the home, and he’s thankful that no one was hurt.
Ogden Police shared in a release Monday that witnesses told officers they saw some people running from the scene when the fire began. As the investigation progressed, “officers followed up on this information and identified potential juvenile suspects... additional information was obtained, and officers made contact with the juvenile and his family. He admitted to accidentally starting the fire while playing with a torch,” the release stated.
"That accident is going to cost me $1,600, and it’s not fair, but it is what it is,” Bellot said.
The Ogden City Fire Department wants to remind people that this might not be a typical summer.
"On warm days, with just a little bit of help from a spark, that can take off very rapidly and cause a lot of damage,” said Hess — reminding especially kids to be careful. “Things can get out of hand in a very aggressive and quick fashion."
"Just don’t play with matches. Don’t do it,” Bellot said. “This is what can happen. It could be worse. I could have been homeless, and my wife… We could have come home to nothing."
