TAYLORSVILLE, Utah, Sept. 1, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A 130-foot cellphone tower on fire in Taylorsville Thursday afternoon caused the closure of Bangerter Highway amid fears the tower could fall.
The section of highway that was shut down, from 4100 South to 4700 South, was reopened at approximately 7:45 p.m. Thursday.
Unified Fire Authority spokesman David Ulibarri said Thursday afternoon that the tower was swaying in the wind. Although the towers do have a natural sway to them, he said, authorities wanted to take precautionary measures in case the stress put on the steel by the heat caused the tower to come down.
At a nearby daycare, 120 children were evacuated, officials said, but that evacuation order was lifted by 3:30 p.m.
Forty firefighters were called to battle the fire, and West Valley City Police Department and the Unified Police Department are also on scene.
Thursday evening, UFA spokesman Matthew McFarland said the fire was out and Bangerter Highway had been reopened.
A work maintenance crew had been on the tower at the time of the fire, but McFarland said there were no injuries and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
