A natural gas leak caused a house explosion in South Jordan, where a 15-year-old boy was found dead, city officials said Thursday.
The boy, a student at Bingham High School, was a member of the family that lived in the house — and was the only person inside the home at the time of the explosion, South Jordan officials said. Officials did not release the boy’s name Thursday, at the family’s request.
Fire investigators said Thursday evening that they are still trying to determine exactly where the leak happened and how it started.
Emergency crews responded to the explosion and subsequent 2-alarm fire at around 3 p.m. Wednesday. The explosion severely damaged the home at 10593 S. 3210 West.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Drone images show a leveled home in the area of 10500 S. and 3200 West in South Jordan on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, following an explosion on Wednesday afternoon that left one person dead.
[Related: House explosion rocks South Jordan neighborhood]
“It’s as significant as it gets,” Racheal Van Cleave, South Jordan City’s communications manager, said earlier in the day Thursday.
South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, in a statement Thursday afternoon, said the family had “lost everything in the fire.”
“Our community has experienced an unimaginable tragedy with the passing of one of our residents,” Ramsey wrote. “Our hearts are broken as we mourn alongside the family, friends, neighbors, and all who are grieving during this devastating time.”
The mayor’s release also shared a GoFundMe page that is collecting funds for food, clothes and a funeral service. The page was created by Sami Davis, who said she was a nanny for the family for more than five years. By 8 p.m. Thursday, the crowdfunding campaign had garnered more than $79,000 in pledges, toward a goal of $100,000.
Two nearby homes, while “structurally sound,” received minor to moderate damage “visible from the outside,” officials said. Residents were evacuated Wednesday but have since returned to their homes, Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Lessner said. The road in front of the affected property remained closed off for the two investigating teams from the Utah State Fire Marshal and Enbridge Gas, Lessner said. There is no risk to the surrounding community as crews continue their investigations, he said.
City officials have notified the Jordan School District. Counseling resources are being made available for students and family members.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Crews go through the piles of debris from a leveled home in the area of 10500 S. and 3200 West in South Jordan on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, following an explosion on Wednesday afternoon that left one person dead.
