SALT LAKE CITY — Firefighters responded to an apartment building in Salt Lake City after flames engulfed a unit on the top floor on Tuesday.
Crews responded to the blaze near 67 N. A Street in the Avenues neighborhood, where a video posted to social media showed several fire trucks battling the fire as smoke billowed out of the building.
“I started banging on the door on my way down and I was just like fire, fire, fire, get out!”
With only seconds to react Sam Blake rush out of her Salt Lake City building Tuesday afternoon.
EXCLUSIVE: The Hillcrest Apartment fire was terrifying for my @1035theArrow colleague Sam Blake who lives below the burned apartment. She shared her experience with me of running from the flames & pounding on doors yelling "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!" Hear her story only on @KSL5TV @ 6PM. pic.twitter.com/MHiMKSBZKw
— Shara Park ✨ (@KSLSharaPark) April 11, 2023
“I have a go bag, I have a go safe that you’re supposed to grab in emergencies and it was kind of like…I just ran out because you just don’t know what to do,” she said.
While being comforted by her father and 103.5 The Arrow Co-Host Jon Smith, Blake described the terrifying moments when a fire swept through the 4th-floor apartment above hers at The Hillcrest in downtown Salt Lake City.
“It’s so crazy, fire moves so fast.”
Blake said it was just before 1:00 p.m. when the residents above her started knocking on her door, she could see them on her doorbell camera but was home sick so she ignored them. When they returned several more times and continued knocking she decided to answer.
“I opened the door and I just saw flames,” Blake said. “I saw them run down and I was like ‘did you get the extinguisher’ and then they were like ‘it’s all gone, my apartment is completely on fire, get out get out get out, get everyone out!’”
As the fire began to spread, Blake quickly grabbed her dog and keys and rushed out into the hallway, she then began pounding on her neighbor’s doors as she evacuated.
“I started banging on the door on my way down and I was just like fire, fire, fire, get out!”
Firefighters from the Salt Lake City Fire Department quickly arrived on scene and began fighting the fire. They eventually called for a second, and even third alarm which brings in more resources.
“As crews arrived on scene, we did find super heavy smoke and flame coming out of that fourth-floor apartment there on the northeast corner,” said Capt. Shaun Mumedy of the Salt Lake City Fire.
As Blake and fellow residents self-evacuated, firefighters cleared the rest of the building.
“No injuries to report at this time,” Mumedy said. “Nobody in the apartments that we’ve been able to find.”
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the initial apartment where it started however, 2-3 other units suffered smoke and water damage including Blake’s.
“It’s really scary and it’s sad to see so many sentimental things go but when it comes down to it they’re material and we’re safe,” Blake said.
Mumedy said 16 units with approximately 20 residents were evacuated due to the fire.
The Red Cross responded to the scene and opened an evacuation center for the residents at the church across the street.
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