4 teens sought in connection with vacant building fire


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SOUTH SALT LAKE — Investigators are looking for four teenagers they believe set a fire that destroyed a vacant, city-owned apartment complex Monday afternoon.

Witnesses said they heard commotion inside the apartment complex near State Street and 3300 South, then saw three boys and a girl fleeing the building on foot right before the fire started, around 4 p.m., investigators said.

Shawntel Percival, who lives near the complex, was headed to her car when she first saw the fire.

"I seen all this black smoke coming out, and then all of these windows started busting out, and flames shot out," Percival said. "Then the whole building just caught on fire."

The building is one of three two-story apartments with eight units each. The complex was scheduled for demolition at a later date, according to South Salt Lake Police Chief Jack Carruth.

Although the building was vacant, Carruth said it was secured, so access to the building wasn’t easy.

“We’re fortunate it wasn’t occupied at the time of the fire, but the building is a complete loss,” Carruth said. “It was fully engulfed when we arrived, so it had probably been burning for a few minutes before the original call came in.”

Two firefighters received minor injuries while fighting the blaze but were expected to be OK, Carruth said.

Carruth said his officers were working with the South Salt Lake Fire Department to determine the fire's origin.

Police are also looking for the four teenagers, described by witnesses as being between the ages of 17 and 19. One was wearing a red hat and a black sweater, another was wearing a maroon hoodie and gray pants.

Anyone with information on the teens is asked to call South Salt Lake police at 801-840-4000.

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Megan Marsden Christensen

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