Kearns family displaced after early morning fire tears through home

KEARNS — A Kearns family won’t be allowed to move back home for eight months after a fire ripped through their house early Thursday morning.

Elizabeth Antonio woke up at 5:40 a.m. and thought someone was burning something in the kitchen. A couple of hours later, her garage was fully engulfed in flames. She called 911 but said that by the time fire crews arrived, the fire had spread.

On a chilly November morning, she says her priority was ensuring her family made it out safely.

“I’m like ‘the house is on fire, let’s get out of here,’” Antonio said, referring to what she told her 14-year-old son when she woke him up.

Later Thursday morning, the family walked through the burned-out home, only to see the charred inside.

Antonio and part of her family are now staying in a hotel room provided by her homeowner’s insurance. She’s grateful they are OK but said watching her loved one look as their home burned was sad. It’s everything they’ve worked for since they moved in six years ago.

Antonio said a neighbor reached out to the Kearns mayor for help, who, in turn called the American Red Cross. Antonio is set to meet with them on Friday. While her housing needs are taken care of, she said they ran out of the home with only the clothes on their backs and any help will be greatly appreciated.