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WEST VALLEY CITY — More than two dozen people are homeless after a “suspicious fire” burned an apartment building Wednesday afternoon.
Firefighters responded to the two-story apartment fire near 4500 South and Dean Drive (near 4000 West) around 4 p.m. and quickly called a 2nd alarm on the blaze.
"There was flames pretty much coming out of every place upstairs," said Battalion Chief Bob Fitzgerald, with the West Valley City Fire Department.
Jimmy Martinez was inside the building when the fire started. He said someone pounded on his door and told him to get out.
"The backyard was on fire, so I run back up the stairs to grab my mom and my dad and told them to, 'Get out of the house! Get out of the house! The house is on fire!'" he said.
He got some of his loved ones out, and even the family's cat, but the fire continued to intensify.
"I ran back up the stairs and it was way too bad by then for us to go back downstairs. (There was) too much smoke and we got trapped in my room," Jimmy Martinez said.
At that point, it was just Jimmy, his dad and his nephew — and a life or death choice.
"We had to jump off the top story of the building," Martinez said. "First it was me — I jumped out. Then it was my nephew, then my dad jumped out. My dad broke his leg."
Jimmy Martinez's father was transported to a local hospital. Others residents suffered minor smoke inhalation, Fitzgerald said.
We had to jump off the top story of the building. First it was me — I jumped out. Then it was my nephew, then my dad jumped out. My dad broke his leg.
–Jimmy Martinez, WVC resident
Officials said the fire was “suspicious” and one individual was taken into custody by West Valley City police for questioning. That person was later released.
Investigators were working Wednesday night to determine whether the fire was intentionally or accidentally set. Depending on the investigation's out come, criminal charges could be filed, fire officials said.
The apartment building is considered a total loss, Fitzgerald said, and 28 people were made homeless.
For those who lived here, the dousing of the flames was only the beginning of the pain. Most of their worldly possessions are charred black; the Martinez family's cat was still missing Wednesday night.
"We lost everything, and my husband got injured," said Linda Martinez, Jimmy Martinez's mother.
She said as the fire raged, a woman she didn't know offered her help she won't forget.
"She came and handed me $220 to help, so I want to thank her. Whoever she is, I want to thank her," Linda Martinez said.
The Utah Red Cross opened a reception center for those displaced in the fire. It's at a meeting house for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3676 W. 4700 South.
