Hideaway Valley Home burns to ground

By Kellie Harrison

Staff writer

5-8-2018

HIDEAWAY VALLEY—The home of a Hideaway Valley couple caught fire and burned to the ground today.

The homeowners, David and Terri Pemberton, located at 34077 N. 10560 East, Hideaway Valley, were visibly shaken up, but everyone made it out of the home safely, said Fairview Fire Chief, Nathan Miner.

The house was completely destroyed, but the fire was contained within the defensible perimeter around the home and no other structures were damaged.  There are least five other houses in the vicinity.

Crew responded to a call from dispatch about 11 a.m. and continued to battle the fire until 5 p.m., Miner said. “Our biggest concern was to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby wildlands and other homes,” Miner said. “We also had to keep a propane tank from exploding.”

The home is located on a five acre lot with many Juniper and Pinion Pine trees.

Miner credited the homeowner for keeping a defensible space around his home. If the fire had raged out of control, it might have spread to forest lands.

The fire probably started when gas vapors reached an ignition source, Miner said. The homeowner had been cleaning his chain saws and weed eaters in his garage, when he spilled some gasoline on the floor, Miner said.  He stepped outside for moment and the garage went up in flames.

The fire has been ruled an accident.

Hideaway Valley is located north of Fairview in an unincorporated area of Sanpete County.  Indianola, another area, and Fairview are the closest places to Hideaway Valley.

Fire departments from Fairview, Mt. Pleasant, Fountain Green, Indianola, and three federal fire engines from Manti-La Sal National Forest responded to the emergency.