SLC Fire Department Responds Twice In The Same Night To Same Multi-Unit Home

A two-alarm fire is causing issues for firefighters in keeping it contained Tuesday night. Photo: Gephardt Daily Staff

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 19, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Firefighters were called back out to a home late Tuesday night after a fire inside the home rekindled a couple hours after being contained.

Clair Baldwin, assistant chief of operations for Salt Lake City Fire Department said at approximately 10:05 p.m., crews and investigators were still on scene from a previous fire when the wind picked up and rekindled flames in the attic.

“The building is damaged to a point where we are not putting crews inside as it is unsafe, and the roof is collapsing,” Baldwin said. “We are trying to control the fire from the outside, basically in defensive mode.”

Baldwin said they are also having issues with water flow as the area is old and the water main is too small for the amount of water they need to successfully fight this size of fire. He also said the kind of insulation used in the older homes just continues to burn until the insulation is removed, further causing issues in controlling the fire.

Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesperson Jasen Asay said the first fire was dispatched just after 6 p.m., afte his department received several calls from the residents living inside a home located at 406 N. Center St.(120 West), saying the home was on fire.

“When our crews got there, flames could be seen coming from the attic,” Asay said. “All the residents, including their pets, had already made it out safely.”

Asay said the home had been converted into several units, and the structure of the home made it difficult for crews to contain.

“There are a lot of hidden spaces and places for a fire to hide in a home like this,” Asay said. “It is challenging for our crews to get under control. We had nearly 30 firefighters trying to get the fire contained.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and there currently is not an estimate on damages.

Eleven people were displaced, as well as a couple of animals that Red Cross will help find shelter for. No one was injured in the fire.

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