Fire Burns Building At Franklin County Fair

Several vendors at the Franklin County Fair have lost their booths after a building caught fire Wednesday.

A food vendor was frying up some scones and navajo tacos to feed the folks the fair, when the cooking oil caught fire.

The vendors grabbed a small fire extinguisher and sprayed it on the grease fire, but it didn’t put it out.

“It actually spread the grease, and then it ignited and totally engulfed the whole room,? Franklin County Fire Marshall Scott Martin said.

Fortunately, the fire station is just a few blocks away, and crews were able to quickly put the fire out.

“We made a quick attack. In probably 5 or 10 minutes we had it knocked down,? Martin said.

But not before several propane tanks exploded from the heat, and four vendor booths went up in flames.

Jenny and Scott Gregersen were setting up to sell indian food out of one of those booths.

“It pretty much got everything of ours too,? Scott Gregersen said.

But the two are hoping they can salvage enough over the weekend to set up shop for upcoming events like the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

“It’s going to be a pretty big obstacle. A lot of it will be up to my wife, because it’s her cooking and the thing that she does. But we’re hoping we can recoup and set her up so she can have the opportunity to continue doing this,? Gregersen said.

The fire marshal said he hopes fair vendors will learn a lesson or two from this fire.

“Keep yourself by your unit while your cooking. And if it does start on fire maybe sometimes you should have something to cover the flames and smother it rather than fire extinguishers,? Martin said.

One man from the fair was taken to the hospital to be treated for breathing in smoke.

The fair started Monday and runs through Saturday.