Homeowners appreciative of delivery truck driver who helped save their home
Dec 11, 2023, 5:52 PM | Updated: Dec 15, 2023, 8:32 pm
TREMONTON — A delivery driver is being called a hero for his quick thinking on the scene of a house fire.
The Tremonton and Thatcher-Penrose fire departments said a FedEx driver stopped and reported seeing smoke coming from the roof of a home around 10:40 a.m. Friday.
Homeowners Darrin and Jackie Hogue were away on a shopping trip when the delivery truck driver called 911.
“He was in the right place at the right time,” said Thatcher-Penrose Fire Chief Josh Rhees. “It was very crucial that we got called out as quick as we did.”
When the Hogues returned home, they found their home seriously damaged. Their furniture, walls, and handmade additions were covered in ash and many of their belongings had melted. Their three pets died in the fire.
“It’s the nightmare that everybody describes,” said Darrin Hogue, who is a retired fireman.
He said they were close to losing the entire home.
A delivery driver is being called a hero for his quick thinking on the scene of a house fire. The Tremonton and Thatcher-Penrose Fire Departments said a FedEx driver stopped and reported seeing smoke coming from the roof of a home around 10:40 a.m. Friday. (KSL TV)
“That home was within, I’m going to say, best guess, four to five minutes from being totally involved,” he said.
Both the Hogues and first responders say had the FedEx driver not called 911 when he did, it’s likely none of the items inside the home would have been saved.
“Fire statistically doubles in size every minute that it’s currently burning,” Rhees said.
Rhees and the Hogue couple credit the driver for trusting his instincts.
“I don’t know that I could’ve,” Jackie Hogue said. “I’d been in shock maybe seeing someone’s house on fire.
His quick thinking spared their most precious belongings.
“In 2008, I lost my 16-year-old daughter to a distracted driver,” Jackie Hogue said. “All I have are pictures. Her pillows and couple blankets, they’re gone. But I was able to get a few pictures out.”
The couple said the stranger gave them a gift that they can’t repay.
“He needs a secret Santa and I wish I could be it,” Darrin Hogue said.
The Hogues said they plan to move into a trailer on their property soon. They said they will repair or rebuild their house themselves. A GoFundMe* was set up to help the couple with expenses.
*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to 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 advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
