Residents react after apartment fire leaves several displaced, one in the hospital

EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah (ABC4) — One person is in the hospital and several displaced after an apartment building ignited in flames overnight in Eagle Mountain. Six Utah County Sheriff’s deputies were also treated for smoke exposure.

Unified Fire Authority (UFA) said the fire was reported shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. Flames started on the second-story exterior patio of ‘Building J’ before spreading through the building located at 8054 North Ridge Loop.

Everyone from the complex evacuated quickly and safely, except for a trapped victim on the third floor who was hiding in a closet. Crews successfully rescued them through the window by using a ladder. They were life flighted to the hospital with injuries. No additional injuries were reported.

Residents react

“I see a big cloud of smoke. So the only thing I thought of was my kids,” Jose Villarreal, one of the residents at the apartment told ABC4.com. “So I ran inside, got my two kids and ran out. I didn’t grab nothing. And my wife, she is 39 weeks pregnant. This was rough.”

Another neighbor captured the apartment going up in flames.

“My oldest came in and woke us up and said, ‘Mom, there’s a fire.’ And so I obviously flew out of bed,” Lauren Garner told ABC4.com.

The entirety of the third floor is destroyed along with significant water damage underneath. Fire officials confirmed the fire was out as of 6 a.m. this morning, but one fire unit remains on scene to monitor the building.

“I am watching from afar, but it’s devastating. I know that there’s family, families with newborns trapped in the fire,” Garner said.

Villarreal said the Red Cross did pitch in to help. “We don’t know what is going to happen next. It’s kind of heartbreaking.”

Crews from Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, American Fork, Bluffdale, and Draper fire departments all joined UFA to respond to the incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.