MURRAY, Utah, April 1, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Eight people, including two Murray police officers, were injured in a fast-moving blaze at the Brittany Apartments Saturday night.
.
Fire crews were first called to the scene at 4600 S. Van Winkle Expressway near 700 East around 7:20 p.m. When they arrived, they found smoke and flames pouring from multiple apartment windows and three residents in need of rescue stranded on their balconies.
.
Two women who were in immediate danger were pulled to safety, while witnesses tell Gephardt Daily at least one man was injured and rushed to the hospital after panicking and jumping from a third-story balcony. His injuries were described as minor.
Murray Battalion Fire Chief Joseph Treadwell said a total of five residents were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, in addition to two Murray police officers.
The origin of the fire has been traced to a third-story unit, although the cause has yet to be determined.
Seven families have been displaced and were being offered assistance by the Utah Red Cross.
Gephardt Daily will update the story as more information becomes available.
We tried really hard to break down the fence into the pool area so firefighters could get at the back of the building, but no luck. Three of us were slamming ourselves against a VERY good deadbolt lock.
The speed with which the firefighters responded was incredible, they were so professional, true heroes.
The fire was belching into the tree and looked like it was going to jump to my apartment as well, but the firefighters responded before it could. We were going through the halls knocking on doors to make sure everyone could grab pets and kids in case the fire jumped buildings, and a bunch of us were standing by in case the firefighters needed extra muscle.
The fire DID make it down to the second floor, at least on the northeast end, but the bottom floor apartments were okay… which is very fortunate since several elderly lived in those apartments.
My next door neighbor got a solid minute of footage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuEn2Pht0Sw
The person that jumped from the 3rd floor is in critical condition and is in the trauma unit y
PRAYERS FOR BRIAN BARKER. ALL RIBS BROKEN. HURT SHOULDER AND FRACTURED BACK. HIT TREE ON THE WAY DOWN AND LANDED ON HIS BACK. ON A BREATHING TUBE & SEDATED NOW. STILL HOSPITALIZED. 04-06-2017 :-( WILL EVERYONE PRAYER FOR BRIAN BARKER PLEASE.
PRAYERS FOR BRIAN BARKER. ALL RIBS BROKEN. HURT SHOULDER AND FRACTURED BACK. HIT TREE ON THE WAY DOWN AND LANDED ON HIS BACK. ON A BREATHING TUBE & SEDATED NOW. STILL HOSPITALIZED. 04-06-2017 :-(