Fire a mystery as Herriman family recovers

Fire a mystery as Herriman family recovers
By Steven Mouritsen
21 days ago

Allix and Luke Thrall were badly burned in a fire in their apartment June 24.
Flames recently engulfed Allix Thrall's apartment while an explosion shattered her bedroom window as she lay near her 3-year-old son Luke. A security system common in most apartment units responded with sprinklers extending from the ceiling that sprayed a combination of water and antifreeze.


The June 24 blaze at the Farm Gate Apartments in Herriman is among three national incidents within the last two years where antifreeze containing propylene glycol was the only flammable substance that investigators found with the capability to ignite a blaze of such high magnitude so suddenly. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, a separate incident caused a fatality when sprinklers blasted a solution of 71.4 percent antifreeze as a result of a kitchen grease fire.


Allix and Luke have spent most of their time in University of Utah hospital beds since the events June 24 which landed the Herriman mother and son in the burn unit after transport by a Life Flight helicopter. Allix remains bedridden at the hospital but no longer in the ICU while Luke has bounced back to his daily routine with his grandparents instead of his mother.


"She's a single mother," Allix's father Logan Phillips said. "She won't be able to work for a year and won't be able to do anything for six months, For instance, even open a jar."


Both Allix and Luke incurred third degree burns around their arms and shoulders, about 30 percent of their bodies, and Allix has second degree burns covering her entire body. After several surgeries and time on a respirator and ventilator, Allix now has skin grafts over most of her body. She's had to rely on Medicaid to cover the cost of healthcare along with donations.


A few fundraisers including a motorcycle ride and a yard sale at Macey's in West Jordan, have netted about $1,600, according to Phillips.


Shari Thrall, Allix's mom, has maintained a blog since the tragedy in June where the health status and highlights of the young family are documented and contributions are encouraged at Allixandluke.blogspot.com.


"The fundraising is for medical bills," Phillips said. "But she needs help with car insurance and other bills too."


Initial reports indicated that Luke had been playing with matches in the Herriman apartment setting a small pillow aflame and resulting in an explosion that blasted glass nearly 35 feet from the window pane after sprinklers released extinguishing fluid. The explosion is currently being investigated by the Unified Fire Department .


"What the fire department ruled is they think the sprinklers sprayed at over 70 psi and created additional flames," Phillips said. "It caught all the sprinklers in her apartment."


Phillips, has studied reports from two other incidents in the last two years where fiery detonations occurred with propylene glycol as the only possible flammable agent on the scene. The National Fire Protection Association Standards Council banned the use of antifreeze solution in residential fire sprinkler systems Aug. 18 citing "new research that was conducted after a fire incident raised concerns about antifreeze solutions in residential fire sprinkler systems."


"Most every apartment complex in the valley has glycol in it," Phillips said. "They don't realize that all of their fire extinguishers are 40 percent flammable. This is amazing and it could affect the entire country."


A recent NFPA safety alert acknowledged the Herriman fire and the concern about the combustibility of propylene glycol. Suggestions from the NFPA are to use the lowest concentrate possible of antifreeze in fire sprinkler lines. The NFPA recognizes that there are no alternatives for propylene glycol-based antifreeze.


The family has hired an attorney to represent Allix and Luke's interests.. In the meantime, an account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank under their names. Donations are being accepted at any branch.