LANA GROVES
Deseret Morning News

CENTERVILLE - Bad luck comes in three's. For the Hale family this became truth when a Monday night fire believed to have started on the roof of their Centerville lumber store erupted into a massive four-alarm fire causing millions of dollars in damage.


A roofing company was making repairs on the roof of the Colonial Building Supply store at 530 N. 400 West just before 6 p.m. using hot tar and torches when the fire spread, said family members of the store owner. Fire crews were called out from Layton, Salt Lake City, Farmington, Centerville and South Davis Metro Fire agencies, but the flames managed to spread from the roof and into the entire supply store within minutes.

By 6:30 p.m., several ladder trucks were at the scene pouring gallons of water to douse flames that eventually caused the roof to collapse and made the building a total loss. Firefighters adopted a defensive attack on the building and were able to prevent the fire from reaching a warehouse that stored enough lumber "to make this much worse than it is right now," South Davis Metro Fire Chief Jim Rampton said Monday night as crews continued to battle hot spots.

Investigators haven't determined a cause of the fire, but place early damage estimates in the millions of dollars. Employees who spotted the fire quickly evacuated about a dozen coworkers from inside the building and called 911.

When the fire erupted, an adjacent Kinder Care day care facility was evacuated within minutes and some nearby condos and a Dairy Queen were also evacuated as a precaution. However, the flames never spread beyond the lumber store. Smoke billowing into the air could be seen for miles, and Centerville residents gathered across the street to watch as the store's building, which had served so many needs in the community, burned to the ground. "It's just horrible," said Katie Jensen as she watched the flames from the street with her family.

Family members of store owner Fred Hale gathered on the grass between the Kinder Care facility and lumber store staring as firefighters continued battling flames. Ron Hale, one of Fred's brothers, burst into tears and was quickly comforted by family when he arrived to see flames continue to lick the insides of the building. Fred Hale was out of town at the family's ranch in Star Valley, Wyo., when he heard the news. His primary message to family was that "it can only get better from here," related brother-in-law Scott Keller.

Keller said the family has had its recent share of turmoil. One month ago, Fred Hale's only son-in-law passed away from a heart attack at age 29, and just two weeks ago, Hale's 24-year-old niece died after a four-year battle with cancer. The burning building - which Hale and family members built with their own hands in 1994 - was just another blow. The lumber business was started by Hale's father, who died in 2004, primarily because most of his children were involved in construction or real estate in some way.

The Centerville business is believed to be the only family owned lumber store in Davis County, family said. "We survived when the Home Depot and Lowe's came into the area. We survived the downturn of the economy," one of Fred's sisters, Debra Hale, said. "We'll survive this. We're a strong family." Fred Hale told family over the phone as he was driving back to Utah that he was grateful no one had been injured and said that they would rebuild. "He's the kind of guy that will be back in business tomorrow if he can," Keller said. "He knows how to get things done."

Besides the main store, the building's offices and memorabilia that had been collected over the years were also destroyed. Fire crews planned to be stay at the scene through Monday night to continue dousing hot spots that might smolder among the debris from the roof collapse. People who were evacuated from the nearby Pineae Gardens condos were allowed to return home by 9 p.m., and Salt Lake fire engines also left the scene by then. The family plans to continue business, possibly at a temporary location, and is grateful the warehouse was saved. "This is what we'll build from," said Ron Hale, holding up a package of mice killer, one of the few store items to survive the fire.

Copyright 2010 The Deseret News Publishing Co.
July 27, 2010