MILLCREEK, Utah, Aug. 26, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Multiple fire departments responded to a two-alarm blaze at an apartment complex in Millcreek late Monday afternoon.
The fire at Driftwood Park Apartments, 3900 S. 700 West, was called in at 5:34 p.m., and fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke and visible flames.
Keith Garner, public information officer for Unified Fire Authority, said 18 apartments were evacuated, and 60 people were displaced. The Red Cross was on scene, helping the displaced residents find accommodations.
Garner said it took crews about 30 minutes to get the fire under control and another half-hour or so to be sure it was extinguished. Swamp coolers became a potential hazard as the heat and flames threatened the roof.
Garner told Gephardt Daily that six of the apartments are “pretty much a total loss,” but he had no estimated cost of damages, and the cause of the fire was still unknown, because investigators weren’t able to go inside the building until about 8 p.m. They had to wait for a building inspector to give them the OK to go in.
No people were injured, but two pet rabbits perished. Garner said the rabbits were in the apartment where the fire may have started.
Unified Fire Authority and fire departments from Salt Lake City, West Valley City, South Salt Lake, and Murray responded to the scene. Unified Police Department assisted with evacuating the building and traffic control.
