36-unit Midvale apartment building evacuated due to fire, flooding

MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4) — A 36-unit apartment building in Midvale was evacuated early Saturday morning due to a fire, according to the Unified Fire Authority.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m. on March 8, fire crews responded to an alarm at an apartment building located on the 7900 South block of Main Street. Personnel arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming out of the three-story building, according to Kelly Bird, Unified Fire.

Local police were already on scene evacuating residents, according to Bird.

The fire reportedly started in a bottom-floor apartment at the end of the building. Authorities believe the fire started due to an issue with a bathroom fan. The fire spread upward, causing damage to two additional apartments directly above — on the second and third floors.

Additionally, a water line broke on the bottom floor, causing six inches of water to flood all 12 units on the floor. It is unknown whether this was related to or caused by the fire, Bird said.

All residents on the bottom floor, as well as the residents of the apartments above the unit where the fire started, have been displaced. The rest of the units sustained varying degrees of smoke damage, according to Bird.

Red Cross is assisting with those displaced. No injuries occurred during this incident.

Sandy Fire, West Jordan Fire, South Salt Lake Fire, and Draper Fire also assisted with this response.

No further information is available at this time.