WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — An early morning house fire on Sunday in West Valley City forced a family to make a harrowing escape, resulting in significant damage and hospitalizing two sisters. The fire, which remains under investigation, destroyed the family's home, multiple cars, and likely the house next door, according to West Valley Fire officials.
Sylvia Feleti's sister Sarah was asleep in the home with her three children, all under the age of five, along with her sister Mia and their cousin when the fire broke out. Feleti stated that her family members were sleeping when they "started smelling the smoke." Alerted to the danger, their cousin immediately exited the house to call 911 for help. Mia then rushed downstairs to assist her sister Sarah and the young children.
In a desperate effort to escape the burning structure, the babies were evacuated through a bathroom window. After ensuring the children were out, Sarah and Mia found themselves trapped downstairs. With limited options, Mia used a single towel available downstairs to cover Sarah's face, helping to shield her from inhaling excessive smoke, so "Sarah was blocked from inhaling too much." However, Mia herself suffered a swollen throat from inhaling too much smoke. The West Valley Fire Department arrived and successfully helped everyone make it out of the house.
Following the rescue, the three children were released from medical care. However, the two sisters, Sarah and Mia, are still undergoing treatment at the hospital for their injuries.
Across the street, neighbor Juana described being awakened in the early hours of Sunday by a "loud bang" at her door. Her Ring camera captured what she described as a "big ball of light," revealing her neighbor's house "fully engulfed in flames." Juana recalled the scary experience, noting "sparks going towards our house," which prompted her to fear her own home would ignite. She and her family quickly evacuated, heading down the street as they began to hear "pops" coming from the fire. Juana expressed empathy for the affected family, explaining that it "hurts because you see them," even without knowing them personally, acknowledging they are a local family.
Later that day, Sylvia Feleti was seen observing the devastation, reflecting on the suddenness of the event. She noted that such an event "can happen out of nowhere" and described it as "really scary to see." West Valley Fire officials confirmed that the family's residence, several vehicles, and potentially the adjacent property sustained a "total loss" due to the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by authorities. Feleti added that her family is "just trying to work together, see what's next for them."
