Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
News Specialist Jill Atwood reportingUnpredictable flames:
"The fire department was pounding on the door when I was in the shower."
Choking smoke:
"I could see the smoke coming through my windows and it smelled really bad. I had to get out," says resident Mike Talbot.
Intense heat, and a building full of apartments dangerously close:
"We had to protect that structure from any fire going in. We got lines layed between the buildings. We kept it cool. No windows were broke," says Dennis McKone of the Salt Lake fire department.
"They were breaking in the roof, and a column of flame came out, and that's when we knew that we were probably going to be evacuated," say apartment residents Dan and Lyndsay. "It got hot enough. The windows were actually starting to heat up and the temperature in the building was really starting to heat up."
Residents watch from across the street a little stunned, wondering when, if at all today, they will be able to get back in.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross arrives to provide some much needed relief, and direction.
"We're generally in it for the long haul. How are they going to recover from this? Where are they going to go next? What issues do they need to consider as they begin their recovery process?" says Lisa Cook of the American Red Cross.
Also eager to pitch in, a group of LDS Business College students who answered a cry for help from Henrie's Drycleaning. Students and other volunteers managed to grab arms full of clothes, in fact all the garments, before the flames took over.
"It was really intense," says Melissa Pollmann, an LDS Business College student. "As you went in, you could feel the heat and just start to see the smoke seep through the building. It was intense."
If you had clothes at Henri's, they have been moved to the store at 233 East and 3rd South.
As for the apartments, they suffered a little smoke damage, maybe a little water damage. But all and all, the residents were lucky. No one was hurt.
