Neighbors work together to fight flames, get others to safety amid fast-moving fire in Roy

ROY — During the chaotic moments after a fast-moving brush fire erupted Monday, people along 2675 West said the actions of several neighbors helped lessen the impact and even likely saved lives.

"I'd love to wrap my arms around every one of them," Joyce Stewart said of the people who came to her niece's aid. "She would never have been able to get her husband out if it wasn't for her new hero."

Stewart said that while her niece's home is a total loss, she is grateful for a man who came knocking during the early moments of the fire.

"He excessively rang the doorbell to get their attention," Stewart said. "They came to the door. He immediately ran in, knowing her husband could not get out on his own."

Stewart said the neighbor bear-hugged the elderly man, lifting him out of the home to safety.

In another case, two men worked to push back flames that were headed to a nearby orchard, which could have caused the fire to spread even further.

"It was very chaotic. You know, all of us trying to help in trying to make sure all of our neighbors were OK," Meghan Lee said.

Lee urged her neighbors across the street to come into her home as theirs quickly caught fire.

"My son said, 'What's falling from the sky?' And I looked out the window and saw really big pieces of ash falling in our backyard,'" Lee recalled.

Meantime, those neighbors, the Visages, saw their home bulldozed Tuesday. The damage was too great to leave anything safely standing. Their son, Jared Visage, is preparing to leave for a mission to Las Vegas for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"We've had a lot of really helpful people, even neighbors, just doing everything they can to help make sure we're all doing OK," Visage said.

Still, with plans to be in Las Vegas for his mission within a few weeks, he has mixed feelings.

"I'm excited to go and leave, but at the same time it's like, well, I'm leaving them to figure this out," Visage expressed. "But you know, it'll all work out."

Lee said instead of watching his home burn, Visage and some neighborhood kids were busy alerting other neighbors of the fire.

"He was a true hero," Lee said. "Kept his head on straight, sprang into action and didn't even take a second thought, you know, during the whole thing."

Down the street, Joseph LaSene got one of those door-knocks. He said he had no idea his yard was on fire.

"Someone came knocking on our door that there was a fire out back, and we went out back, and it was engulfed in minutes," LaSene recalled. "It was crazy. We got out as quick as we could. And it was bad. It was very scary."

Neighbors have started a fundraiser* for the families impacted by the fire. Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause, though sparks from nearby train tracks are getting the blame.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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