Chaos briefly erupted at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail when a fire ignited on the rooftop during routine maintenance work, leading to the evacuation of approximately 200 inmates. According to KSL, the blaze started at around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, as a subcontractor accidentally sparked the fire while working on the HVAC system.
The incident necessitated the dispatch of multiple fire departments to contain the fire that was confined to the jail's roof. As per South Salt Lake Fire Chief Terry Addison, as obtained by KUTV, crews from South Salt Lake, West Valley, Unified, Murray, and West Jordan were instrumental in tackling the emergency. The flames, which had spread to the membrane and insulation, were fully extinguished by 1 p.m.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera reported that no injuries were reported and that inmates were moved to other units within the lockup for safety and medical evaluations. "There was a subcontractor up there doing some repair work on the HVAC system, and it created a spark that started a fire. We were noticing smoke in one of the units, and that's how we were made aware of the fire," said Sheriff Rivera, as per FOX 13. All prisoners remained inside the facility during the ordeal, as no evacuations occurred beyond the jail premises.
While the fire was being managed, lockdown protocols were activated, limiting movement within the jail until safety could be assured. The quick response and adherence to emergency procedures helped avert what could have been a more serious incident. Emergency protocols, as detailed by Sheriff Rivera, were immediately put into action, swiftly relocating inmates and staff out of harm's way.
