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Family and Friends Mourn the Loss of a Loved One
KSL.Com
News On Demand 5
Jan. 9, 2005
"I STILL THINK THAT HE WALKS OUT OF THE RUBBLE, BUT IT'S THE FACT THAT
I HAVE TO FACE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."
Friends and family are mourning the loss of a former University of
Utah professor who died in a house fire...
Fire investigators haven't been able to determine how the fire
started...but most of the damage was in the basement and main floor.
Leonardo Alishan lived in the duplex.
He slept in the basement...and that's where the body was recovered.
Tonya Papanikolas joins us from the house...
At 2:30 a-m...firefighters responded to a fire at this duplex.
The neighbor on the other side of the duplex had woken up to the sound
of banging pipes and a campfire smell. He says he went outside and
only saw smoke coming from the chimney.
He felt his neighbors' front window...and it was hot.
So he called police.
Dozens of firefighters responded to the three-alarm call in Cottonwood
Heights.
They heard a person was possibly in the basement...but they discovered
the house was unstable.
"Capt. Greg Reynolds, Unified Fire Authority: "THEY DID HAVE A
COMPLETE FLOOR COLLAPSE, FROM THE FIRST FLOOR DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT
AREA."
"Capt. Mike Ulibarri, Unified Fire Authority: THE ENTIRE FLOOR IS DOWN
ON TOP. WE HAVE A LOT OF DEBRIS."
Fire crews then moved on the defensive...attacking the flames from the
air.
Meanwhile, no one saw the resident of the home...Leonardo Alishan.
His family lives in California...when they were notified of the
fire...they started calling friends in Utah to check on the house.
Debby Stone heard from Alishan's nephew.
"Debby Stone, Family Friend: I GOT A CALL THIS MORNING AT 6;30, AND HE
ASKED ME TO COME UP HERE AND SEE IF HIS UNCLE WAS OKAY, WHAT WAS GOING
ON."
"Debby Stone: I'M WAITING TO SEE IF HE WAS IN THERE."
A good friend kept in touch with Alishan's ex-wife.
"Hamid Aminian, Friend: IT'S TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR HIS YOUNGEST
DAUGHTER, WHICH HE LOVED DEARLY."
Around 11:00...those friends learned a man had died in the fire.
They knew it had to be Alishan.
"Hamid Aminian: I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT."
Alishan taught Middle Eastern Studies and Persian languages at the U
for 20 years.
He had 3 children and acted like an older brother to Aminian.
"Hamid Aminian: HE WAS A WONDERFUL MAN, VERY CARING PERSON. AND IT'S
TOO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HE'S GONE."
Aminian says he can't forget the good times he shared with his friend.
"Hamid Aminian: IT'S JUST LIKE A MOVIE, YOU KNOW. I CAN'T GET OVER
IT. I CAN'T GET OVER IT. I DEARLY MISS HIM."
His friends say he has a lot of former students who will miss him a
lot.
Lately, he was devoting much of his time to writing poetry and short
stories.
KSL.Com
News On Demand 5
Jan. 9, 2005
"I STILL THINK THAT HE WALKS OUT OF THE RUBBLE, BUT IT'S THE FACT THAT
I HAVE TO FACE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."
Friends and family are mourning the loss of a former University of
Utah professor who died in a house fire...
Fire investigators haven't been able to determine how the fire
started...but most of the damage was in the basement and main floor.
Leonardo Alishan lived in the duplex.
He slept in the basement...and that's where the body was recovered.
Tonya Papanikolas joins us from the house...
At 2:30 a-m...firefighters responded to a fire at this duplex.
The neighbor on the other side of the duplex had woken up to the sound
of banging pipes and a campfire smell. He says he went outside and
only saw smoke coming from the chimney.
He felt his neighbors' front window...and it was hot.
So he called police.
Dozens of firefighters responded to the three-alarm call in Cottonwood
Heights.
They heard a person was possibly in the basement...but they discovered
the house was unstable.
"Capt. Greg Reynolds, Unified Fire Authority: "THEY DID HAVE A
COMPLETE FLOOR COLLAPSE, FROM THE FIRST FLOOR DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT
AREA."
"Capt. Mike Ulibarri, Unified Fire Authority: THE ENTIRE FLOOR IS DOWN
ON TOP. WE HAVE A LOT OF DEBRIS."
Fire crews then moved on the defensive...attacking the flames from the
air.
Meanwhile, no one saw the resident of the home...Leonardo Alishan.
His family lives in California...when they were notified of the
fire...they started calling friends in Utah to check on the house.
Debby Stone heard from Alishan's nephew.
"Debby Stone, Family Friend: I GOT A CALL THIS MORNING AT 6;30, AND HE
ASKED ME TO COME UP HERE AND SEE IF HIS UNCLE WAS OKAY, WHAT WAS GOING
ON."
"Debby Stone: I'M WAITING TO SEE IF HE WAS IN THERE."
A good friend kept in touch with Alishan's ex-wife.
"Hamid Aminian, Friend: IT'S TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR HIS YOUNGEST
DAUGHTER, WHICH HE LOVED DEARLY."
Around 11:00...those friends learned a man had died in the fire.
They knew it had to be Alishan.
"Hamid Aminian: I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT."
Alishan taught Middle Eastern Studies and Persian languages at the U
for 20 years.
He had 3 children and acted like an older brother to Aminian.
"Hamid Aminian: HE WAS A WONDERFUL MAN, VERY CARING PERSON. AND IT'S
TOO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HE'S GONE."
Aminian says he can't forget the good times he shared with his friend.
"Hamid Aminian: IT'S JUST LIKE A MOVIE, YOU KNOW. I CAN'T GET OVER
IT. I CAN'T GET OVER IT. I DEARLY MISS HIM."
His friends say he has a lot of former students who will miss him a
lot.
Lately, he was devoting much of his time to writing poetry and short
stories.