Residents displaced due to fire


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Fire broke out in a Taylorsville condominium complex Sunday afternoon. Nearly a dozen families are displaced as a result, but it could have been much worse. Quick thinking from neighbors may have saved some lives.

Firefighters got the first call just before 1 p.m. that flames were burning through the roof of the heavily-populated housing complex near 4100 South and 1600 West. They say some neighbors went door-to-door telling people the building was on fire.

Residents displaced due to fire

Firefighters say 12 units at the complex are unlivable, nine because of gas and power issues, three have long-term fire damage. If there is good news in any of it, it's that no one was hurt.

"At first it was very light. I was like, is this really coming from the roof?" said resident Jodie Wines. "And then when we came out and the flames just started. It [smoke] was pouring out the other side of the building."

Residents displaced due to fire

"I went back and saw that there were emergency vehicles everywhere," said another resident, Steve Gilbertson. "We didn't know where it was. We came over here and saw a black hole in the roof."

Firefighters are still investigating what sparked the first flame in the attic of the Taylorsville housing complex.

"Our crews made entry and were able to stop the fire from spreading too much through the attic," said Chad Simons of the Unified Fire Authority.

Residents displaced due to fire

The buildings are a mix of owned and rented condominiums. The dozens of people -- mostly families -- that live inside, were able to make it out safely.

Resident Tiyoug Kim said, "My neighbor came to my door [knocking] very strong. When we went outside, we could smell it [smoke]."

As residents baked in the heat, watching firefighters battle the flames, members of the local LDS ward responded quickly, providing much-needed water, food, even diapers and other basic supplies.

Calleen Rawson, a member of that LDS ward, said, "You think about all of a sudden getting kicked out of your house without notice, your child has a messy diaper, and you don't think about everything you're missing."

Most of the damage was limited to units on the top level. Damage is estimated at $150,000. Eighteen people have been displaced from their homes, but residents agree it could have been much worse.

"I'm very scared because I have a baby just 2 years old," said Kim.

Most of the displaced residents found places to stay with family or friends. The Red Cross is assisting one family with a hotel to stay in for a couple of days.

The housing complex is providing extra security to guard the units that were damaged by the fire.

E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com

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