EPHRAIM — The home of Kendon and Kaycie Sorenson at 4 East 800 South in Ephraim is a total loss following a fire in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 5.
Kendon, who works for Hermansen Equipment in Ephraim, had his family with him at the Stetson Wright Invitational in Minersville.
“Hermansen is a huge sponsor of the event, and so they [Kendon’s family] were down there helping,” said MerryLynn, Kendon’s mom. “It’s a dang good thing they were all gone, or this story could have been much sadder.”
A motorist traveling southbound on Highway 89 called dispatch and reported flames on the south end of Ephraim at 3:07 a.m. Upon arrival at the home, the fire department wasn’t aware if anyone was in the home that was fully engulfed in flames.
According to MerryLynn, a neighbor called Kaycie to see where they all were. At 3 in the morning, Kaycie was still a little disoriented after being woken up by the phone call and jokingly asked, “What, is my house on fire?” The neighbor then broke the news to her that it was.
The home is a complete loss, but no lives were lost.
The Sorensons have moved into a small basement apartment just up the street from where their home was located. They have received donations to fill their basic necessities right now, but they are not even sure what all they are in need of until they need it.
Fire Chief Jeff Hermanson said that there was very little damage done to the house directly east to the Sorensen’s, but their home is a complete loss. The state fire marshal is still doing his report. Hermanson doesn’t expect answers to the cause of the fire until later in the week.
The Sorenson family has four children ages 3, 6, 8 and 12. Kendon was born and raised in Gunnison and is a manager at Hermansen Equipment. If you would like to help the family, you can Venmo the family at Kaycie-Sorenson.
“We live in such a great county, and the people in Ephraim have really stepped up and helped in every way possible,” MerryLynn said.
