An apartment complex caught fire Friday, according to the Unified Fire Authority, forcing the evacuation of 220 units in Utah.
Smoke was spotted above the North Union Apartments, at 942 E. North Union Avenue, at about 7:50 a.m. Building residents were evacuated, along with their pets. Many stood on surrounding street corners watching firefighters tackle the blaze.
“I’ve lived in this apartment complex for almost four years, and it has become my home. Seeing it being damaged like this is pretty scary,” said Carlos Flores, who lives on the complex’s fourth floor. “It feels bad. It feels horrible.”
The American Red Cross was assisting those who were displaced at a temporary shelter at the north end of Hillcrest High School. The organization said it provided lunch to approximately 200 people who had been evacuated.
One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, and one resident was treated at the temporary shelter for an unknown medical episode.
Nate Cochran with the Unified Fire Authority said smoke was localized at first but intensified by 8:45 a.m. when flames could be seen coming from the building’s roofline. Heavy smoke was seen coming up through the trash chute, but the exact cause of the blaze remains unknown.
Of the complex’s 223 units, 220 were occupied and safely evacuated.
Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettel called the fire a “tragedy” for the community. He urged business owners or anyone else wanting to support evacuees to reach out to the city via email at recovery@midvaleut.gov.
Sutton Bowers, who has lived at the complex for three years, said he helped another resident save his cat as evacuations were underway. He said he was also able to grab a few possessions from his apartment.
“I got the important stuff,” he told KSL. “We’re out, we’re healthy. Our dog is fine. If we lose our possessions, that is just life, unfortunately. But we’re here. We’re alive.”
Contributing: Cameron Elliot
