SALT LAKE CITY – Fire crews extinguished a fire at a storage unit in Salt Lake City Wednesday.
The first report of the fire came in shortly before 9 a.m. near 50 South Redwood Road.
Several fire engines responded, and crews quickly got a handle on the flames. A big concern early on was what was inside the unit.
“We did get a report of a possible meth lab,” said Capt. Archuleta, Salt Lake City Fire.
And even though the initial investigation showed that did not appear to be the case, firefighters do not take chances.
“Anytime you’re working with reports of a meth lab or any other type of chemicals, the extra precautions that are taken are obviously respiratory protection as well as the way that we approach; we will give ourselves a little more of a safety barrier,” Archuleta said.
Crews also worry about the possibility of people using storage units like these as a residence. That’s illegal, but first responders also want to make sure no lives are in jeopardy.
And there is something else always on the minds of fire crews when responding to a blaze at storage unit facilities.
“Although the fire starts in one storage unit, because they share a common attic space, that fire—the flames and smoke—can both spread out and affect other units adjacent to it,” Archuleta said.
A total of four units were affected by this fire and the contents of at least one appear to be a total loss. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
