An evacuation order in South Salt Lake prompted by a gas leak and subsequent fire was lifted Monday morning, after residents spent a tense night out of their homes. The evacuation affected an area bounded by 3300 South to 3500 South, and West Temple to 200 West, according to KSLTV. South Salt Lake Fire Department reported the fire started on Sunday evening when a truck fire ignited after a power line fell onto the vehicle. The situation later escalated when crews discovered the ground was also ablaze.
Residents were directed to an evacuation shelter located at 3805 S. Main Street, which permitted pets, and those unable to evacuate were asked to call dispatch at 801-840-4000; this came after South Salt Lake Fire Chief Terry Addison told ABC4 that natural gas from the gas line had entered the sewer lines and storm drains. Addison also shared concerns about not knowing "exactly how much gas is in the line" and the risk of residual gas in buildings after the gas was shut off.
FOX13 reported that power and gas were restored to the area by the following morning the TRAX service which had been temporarily disrupted, resumed around 10 p.m. the previous night, the road along West Temple remained closed due to the gas company's ongoing repairs which included heavy machinery and open holes from their efforts to access gas lines.
During the height of the emergency, Michelle Real Campos who works with Real Forklift Repair and observed the situation unfold said in a statement obtained by ABC4, “That’s like my life over there… it’s kinda hard to see them just standing around, but I’m sure they know what they’re doing,” conveying her distress over the fire near her place of employment. Once the fire was under control and the leak contained, Addison estimated roughly 300 people were evacuated and about 30 people utilized the temporary shelter, as per ABC4.
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