SALT LAKE CITY — A little over a week since a devastating fire destroyed iconic businesses in Salt Lake City, employees who suddenly found themselves without work are struggling to make ends meet.
"It was crazy,” said Daniel Beard, who was working at White Horse on Main Street on the night of Aug. 11. “I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years, and I have never seen anything like this happen before."
About 200 people lost their jobs that day.
A kitchen fire ended up closing five businesses — Eva, Los Tapatios, London Belle, Whiskey Street, and White Horse.
Now, without work and a paycheck, Beard and others are in a tough spot.
"It has been a struggle; it has been a financial struggle to deal with this right now. I have two younger daughters; I’m a single dad,” said Beard. "When you have care payments and you’ve got rent, you’ve got all these other situations pop up, I mean, school just started, so it’s been very tough.”
WATCH: Neighbors helping neighbors after Main Street fire that destroyed several businesses
Instead of looking at a line of bars and restaurants that should be filled with people, there are whiffs of smoke and sadness in the air. But, even through this despair, there’s a glimmer of hope.
Through community donations, Beard and other employees are getting a little help. The Downtown Alliance raised about $430,000 so far. The first round of checks were distributed on Tuesday. People also got some food, meal vouchers, and rental assistance options.
"The community lined up so fast,” said Dee Brewer, the executive director of the Downtown Alliance. “I saw very large donations from other restaurants… It’s so easy to get caught up in the negative news we see. This was just a very personal reminder of good people doing good things.”
Beard’s first check was for about $700. He said it won’t cover everything, but it’s helpful.
"I just want to say thank you,” he said. “A little bit goes a long way. This means a lot to a lot.”
He hopes this stretch of downtown bounces back soon.
"This is our livelihood. This is what we depend on to survive, and hopefully there can be more memories down the road,” said Beard.
The Downtown Alliance is still trying to reach its goal of raising $500,000 to be able to give each employee about a month’s worth of expenses. They plan to give another round of checks soon and pay everyone by the end of this month.
You can donate HERE.
