Logan, UT – Fire extinguished at nursing home after help from sprinkler system

An air conditioning unit that sparked a blaze in a resident’s bed led to some injuries during the evacuation of a nursing home Friday.

An employee at Rocky Mountain Care, 1480 N. 400 East, discovered the fire about 6:40 p.m. and helped the female resident out of the bed and into the hallway, said Craig Humphreys, assistant chief and fire marshal of the Logan Fire Department. The resident was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Humphrey’s credited the employee for saving the woman’s life.

Another employee attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher as the building’s sprinkler system activated, he said.

Evacuations were underway as firefighters arrived. With help of the sprinkler system, crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire, Humphreys said. Firefighters then worked to ventilate smoke and remove water from the building.

The fire destroyed the mattress but the fire was confined to one room, he said.

A woman who fell during the evacuation was taken to the hospital as a precaution, he said. Three employees were treated at the scene for possible smoke inhalation.

Humphreys said investigators determined the fire to be accidental. He said the fire started because the bed was pushed up against the electrical cord on the window-mounted air conditioning unit.