SALT LAKE CITY — Where the patio was packed outside White Horse and Whiskey Street in Salt Lake City on Monday night, now sits ash, rubble, debris and a little bit of hope.
A fire that sparked hours later inside the kitchen at the London Belle Supper Club left five businesses in ruins on Main Street.
"40, 45 minutes after I was first told about the problem, I had come to terms that Whiskey Street would burn to the ground," said Jason LeCates, owner of both restaurants.
While Whiskey Street took the biggest hit of LeCate’s businesses, the White Horse foundation stayed strong. Between the broken glass and charred furniture, they're now looking at the damage with a new perspective.
“The positives are really starting to emerge. There are some positives to this," admitted LeCates.
Drone video below shows downtown buildings burning during fire:
Those positives are coming in all different forms..
“The large American flag we had hanging on the wall that survived. It was really awesome to have the fire department, the people behind saving the building went in and pulled that out for us and gave it to us," he said. "That was pretty special."
Those passing by on Main Street now find a wire fence and shuttered businesses.
“This block is always fun just coming down here on weekends at nighttime," said Eagle Mountain resident Ben Nichols. “It’s just kind of sad to see, kind of heartbreaking. My first thought when I see it is just thinking about the owners and people that work here, and how it affects their lives."
How Utahns are helping workers who lost their jobs after downtown fire:
What started as a dream for LeCates will continue. It may have new walls and new equipment, but he said it will always have the same community support.
“They know this is the heart of downtown’s nightlife, and the city is not going to be totally right until we get these back open."
The Downtown Alliance has launched the Main Street Fire Employee Assistance Program, with 100% of donations going directly to employees displaced by the fire to help cover expenses such as rent, groceries, and transportation during this difficult time.
