Layton apartment fire causes $150K in damages, may have started from ‘cigarette ashes’

LAYTON, Utah (ABC4) — A fire at an apartment complex in Layton caused an estimated $150,000 in damages, and may have started from cigarette ashes, according to fire officials.

Crews with Layton City Fire and Hill AFB Fire were dispatched to a fire at an apartment complex on North Hillfield Road just after 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, March 16.

On Sunday afternoon, officials said in a social media post that “a final cause determination has not been made,” but a resident said she “dropped cigarette ashes” in a bedroom, which is where the fire was initially reported.

Residents of the two-story fourplex evacuated the building before fire personnel arrived. Layton officials said that “a large column of smoke was visible from some distance away” before firefighters arrived at the scene.

Upon arrival, crews reported seeing “heavy fire” coming from the lower windows of one of the units, but the blaze didn’t appear to spread to the other units.

“Crews were able to deploy several hose lines and extinguish the fire within 10 min of arrival,” Layton City Fire said. “Other units on scene insured that all occupants had indeed been evacuated, assisted with ventilation, water supply, salvage & overhaul, and incident safety functions….”

The Layton Police Department and Davis County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with traffic control during the incident.

The occupant of the unit that caught fire reportedly mentioned the cigarette ashes while she was with LPD officials. There were no reported injuries to residents or fire personnel, according to Layton Fire.

There is no further information at this time.