Two people were killed in an RV fire in Salt Lake City on Wednesday morning, and a third person was treated for smoke inhalation.
According to a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Fire Department, the fire broke out about 7:30 a.m. near 1775 W. 200 South. When fire crews arrived, flames were shooting from the front end of the RV.
“The front 25 to 30% of the RV burned up,” said SLCFD Capt. Tony Stowe. “So we were unable to access it through the doors. We actually had to force entry through the back and ladder in to get the bodies out.”
Two victims died at the scene. The third was able to get out of the vehicle and was treated for minor smoke inhalation at the scene and released. “We can’t say right now if it was the heat or the smoke that killed the people,” Stowe said. “That’s going to be something that’s left to the coroner’s office.”
A dog also died in the fire.
The victims’ names were not released. According to SLCFD, the victims were believed to be homeless and living in the RV.
“There’s a homeless encampment on the north side of 200 South,” Stowe said. “There are many different camper shells and busted down RVs in that area. This was a 40- to 45-foot RV. We don’t know how long it’s been there, but people were definitely living in it.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. “It’s not going to be a really fast process,” Stowe said.
