Massive Orem house fire being investigated as arson

OREM — A fire that destroyed an empty Orem home in a wooded area of the city is now being investigated as arson.

Orem Assistant Fire Chief Shaun Hirst said he had fire investigators on-site Friday, making contacts and asking questions. They said the circumstances around the fire are too suspicious to ignore.

The home that burned down is now just a pile of blacked remains, but new phone video shows on Tuesday, it was a blazing inferno. The fire came dangerously close to the house of Melissa Fukofuka, who lives next door.

She is angry after learning the fire may have been set on purpose.

"Yes, livid, yeah, livid. Why would someone do that? Other than personal vengeance and thinking just in their own world," Fukofuka said.

Orem fire investigators are looking into the fire as arson for several suspicious factors.

"One being the home was scheduled to be demolished, it was not occupied, and an individual approached the developer on scene, prior to the start of the fire," Hirst said.

He's referring to a conversation the developer told KSL-TV about. Just before he left that night, someone approached the property and asked what was going to happen to the house. Thirty minutes later, he received a call that the home was in flames.

Fukofuka said the house had been overrun for years by drug dealers, homeless, or property vandals, and believes any one of them could've been upset they were losing their favorite spot.

"I can understand the anger, but I don't understand to the point of setting it on fire. It's a very selfish thing to do," Fukofuka said.

She's grateful the fire didn't destroy her home, too.

"Incredibly blessed … it could've been a lot worse. We could've lost the back of our house or the whole house," she said.

Orem fire officials said they want to find whoever it was that talked to the developer just before the fire. Anyone who may have information is encouraged to contact Orem fire.

Related topics