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Show Deputy escapes, but fire guts home Uintah County Sheriff Deputy Royal LaRose evacuated his home last Friday with only his guns and some clothes and watches as flames totaled the structure at 3 p.m. last Friday. The fire was first reported by another deputy sheriff, Randy Mecham. who lives south of LaRose. Traveling from Roosevelt on Independence Road in Ballard, Mecham radioed the Vernal dispatch wondering if a fire had been reported west of Royal LaRose's house. Sgt. Pete Pickup, Uintah County Sheriff Department, who was at the dispatch, said that Mecham called and said the fire was burning a haystack and the roof of the LaRose residence. Sgt. Pickup called the LaRose residence and woke up Royal and his mother at about the same time Mecham arrived at the scene. The two escaped without injury. In the high winds the structure was totally destroyed by the fire. The fire was apparently started by neighbor children playing with fireworks, reported the Uintah County Sheriff's Department. LaRose was renting the house from Cecil Jenkins. At an honor banquet Friday night the Utah Peace Officers Association, upon recommendation of Sheriff Arden Stewart, donated $500 to LaRose. |