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WEST VALLEY CITY -- Firefighters are letting a two-alarm fire at the Carpet Barn at 3725 South and Redwood Road burn itself out.
Crews are monitoring the fire, which they expect to burn and release clouds of smoke throughout the night. Redwood Road near 3700 South is closed in both directions and will be as long as the fire is still burning.
The fire started around 11:30 a.m. The owner's son, John MacQueen, believes it may have been caused by workers who used a weed-burning torch to melt ice off the loading dock, sparking something beneath the door.
"By the time I got extinguishers, within seconds, it didn't do much," MacQueen said. "Once it gets going, you're grabbing your stuff and running out. You couldn't see where you were going. It's white. You're just trying not to breathe -- it's bright white -- hoping you don't run into anything."
Four people were inside the building when the fire started including the owner, his son and two employees. They all got out safely.
Fire crews from all over the Salt Lake Valley were called to assist in extinguishing the fire. When they arrived on scene, the building was already fully engulfed, so they took a defensive approach by fighting it from the outside because they didn't want to risk anyone's life.
This building is old, but it had been equipped with a sprinkler system. Crews say the fire was just too strong and it overtook that water supply.
Crews are letting the fire burn because of the type of carpet inside. It is made out of nylon, which is petroleum-based and once it catches fire cannot be extinguished. There are also other very flammable items inside.
"Typically, carpet and floor covering stores have flammable paste and solvents, things such as that," said West Valley fire Capt. Joe White.
The Carpet Barn is family-owned and has been open since 1968. The building is a complete loss.
The owners are disappointed, of course, but they're just glad everyone got out safely. They think the only sentimental loss was their cat, "Bob", who was very popular among customers.
E-mail: ngonzales@ksl.com
