Business fire closes Main Street traffic in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY— No injuries were reported after a large fire at a snack factory in the Ballpark neighborhood created plumes of smoke that could be seen for miles Tuesday morning.

Salt Lake firefighters responded to the blaze at 1518 S. Main about 7:20 a.m. The address is La Rana Mexican Snacks Factory, which is located at the site of the old Golden Dragon restaurant.

Large plumes of smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, and pictures quickly circulated on social media.

Police said they closed Main Street between Cleveland Avenue and Bryan Avenue as fire crews worked to defend nearby buildings from the blaze. Firefighters responded with the help of police, who shut down all traffic and used drones to monitor the fire in real time.

"All employees were able to evacuate prior to our arrival and all employees have been accounted for," said Salt Lake fire Capt. Brandt Hancuff. Firefighters entered the building upon arrival, but quickly had to retreat and call for backup. "They had to pull out of the building so that they could protect themselves," Hancuff added.

Crews evacuated two nearby homes and a motel next door. About 60 firefighters responded and were forced to fight the blaze from above.

"It's pretty close to my backyard, so it's a little bit scary," said Tammy Dryer, who lives nearby.

Firefighters were unable to save the building but stopped the fire from spreading to nearby structures. La Rana employees said they were glad everyone made it out safe, but they're worried about what they will do for work.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Contributing: Brian Carlson

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