FILE - A 3 alarm fire consumed much of an apartment near 3300 S and 350 E in South Salt Lake. Screenshot Derrick Hepworth
A 3 alarm fire broke out at an apartment complex near 3300 S 350 E around 3 a.m. Thursday morning.
South Salt Lake Fire Chief Terry Addison says the original call they received came in as a vehicle fire just after 3 a.m and where they believe the fire spread to the building from the carport.
Addison says that all 36 units were evacuated including 24 directly affected by the fire which displaced over 40 people. He also says that when the fire reached 3 alarm status they had multiple agencies and around 100 firefighters responded.
6 of those individuals were taken to the hospital including two babies, but Addison says there were no injuries and that all those transported were being checked on for smoke inhalation.
Addison estimates that this fire caused anywhere from $900,000 to $1 million in damage.
Baylee Bradford was woken up at 2:30 a.m. by her father shouting that there was a fire.
“I opened my door and could feel the heat of the flames. I wasn’t even thinking, I left my phone there and only grabbed two pictures of my mom and a necklace with her ashes inside.
“Those are the only things I thought to grab because I can’t replace those. Everything else in there is replaceable, but things like [this] you can’t replace.
Bradford says that this fire coupled with the coronavirus pandemic and Utah’s recent earthquakes leaves her feeling like this is Armageddon.
“It’s apocalyptic. I don’t know what other words to describe it other than feeling the panic.”
The chief says they expect the active fire fighting to last for a few hours as they continue to look for hidden fires burning in the walls and attic.
The fire has also affected the roadways closing 3300 S between 200 E and 400 E as well as 300 E until about 7 a.m.
This story is breaking and will be updated.