MAGNA, Utah (ABC4 News) – A wheelchair-bound man died after a house fire in Magna early Monday morning.

It happened around 4:00 a.m. at 3378 South Broadway Street.

Police identified the man Monday afternoon as 96-year-old Willis Shepherd.

Firefighters say the fire started in the basement of the home.

Unified Fire Authority say Shepherd’s daughter and her boyfriend were home at the time and are recovering in the hospital from smoke inhalation. 

Prior to the fire department arriving, a Unified Police officer entered the home to locate and evacuate the residents. 

“It’s an honorable thing to do. To know someone is inside and you’re unprotected yourself and you choose to go in and make that rescue,” Unified Fire Public Information officer Ryan Love said.

Fire crews say there weren’t any working smoke detectors in the basement and are using this tragedy as a reminder. 

“We want to make sure that our smoke detectors are working and that they are on every single level and every room inside the structure,” Unified Fire Public Information officer Ryan Love said. 

The cause is under investigation. 

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