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SALT LAKE CITY — Fire officials believe arson may be involved with a two-alarm fire sparked Wednesday morning in downtown Salt Lake City.
The fire engulfed an abandoned cleaner at 200 West and 900 South sometime Wednesday morning, when crews discovered the blaze while driving past it.
Because of the location and two other fires in the area, officials believe at least one arsonist could be involved, Salt Lake Fire Cpt. Craig Weaver told KSL TV.
“This is the third fire in the area this morning,” Weaver said. “Our arson investigators are interested in somebody and they're looking for somebody.”
2 Alarm fire 200 w 900 s. Press set up on corner of that address pic.twitter.com/yfRj95cr9v
— Salt Lake City Fire Department (@slcfire) September 9, 2020
Crews were responding to a grass fire just west of the address around 11 a.m. when they noticed the blaze at the abandoned cleaner. The close location of the three fires made the responding crews suspect they may be connected, Weaver said.
Crews are battling the “defensive” blaze, meaning no firefighters were inside the abandoned building. Crews were briefly on top of the building, but no injuries have been reported in fighting the blaze.
More than 50 firefighters battled the blaze for close to an hour before it was brought under control.
Salt Lake Fire Battalion Chief Ryan Mellor told KSL the building has been known to have held transients in the past. Once the building is determined to be safe for firefighters to enter, they will do a search of the building to make sure no one was inside, Mellor added.
He said investigators were “developing a list” of people to investigate in connection with the fire, including how it may have started.
Fire officials shut down 900 South between 300 West and West Temple, as well as the area between 800 South and 1000 South, while crews fought the flames.
UTA also diverted all TRAX lines from the area, including vehicles on the red, blue and green lines.
Contributing: Matt Gephardt, KSL TV; Pat Reavy, KSL
