OGDEN, Utah, Aug. 30, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Firefighters waged a pitched battle Monday night as they attempted to knock down a roaring blaze at the Topper Bakery just east of downtown Ogden.
Fire crews were dispatched to 2516 S. Monroe Blvd. at about 10:07 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke coming from the roof of the building.
Moments later, heavy flames broke out, forcing crews to transition to “defensive tactics,” according to an Ogden FD tweet.
A ladder truck was used to pour water on the fire, and crews were able to re-enter the business. At 10:45 p.m., an all-clear was declared as teams determined no one had been inside.
Firefighters were still working to completely extinguish the flames as of 11:30 p.m. and said a cause for the fire has yet to be determined.
Residents from nearby homes watched the firefighting efforts. Travis Pate told Gephardt Daily he loved the bakery, calling it an Ogden institution.
“Topper Bakery has been a part of my family since before I was born,” Pate said. “The family was friends with my mom. They even gave my mom a cake when she brought me and my twin brother home from the hospital 51 years ago.
“It’s been here since 1939. I’m hoping that it will be rebuilt,” he said.
Ogden Deputy Fire Chief Mike Slater said it was too early to tell how the fire started, but the structure was likely a total loss.
“It’s truly tragic,” Slater said. “Topper Bakery has been a staple in Ogden for 82 years. They help us with city functions. I just know they’ve been around a lot longer than I’ve been around, so it’s kind of sad to see this happen.”
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
